Tumakuru: Two incidents of sandals thieves who tried to attack the Ministry of Forestry personnel in Tumakuru Regency in the last three weeks have raised concern among foresters and environmental lovers.
On September 5, three thieves were arrested in Aragaladevi’s reserve forest from Aragalagudda Kaval, Gubbi Taluk.
Murthy, Mallappa and Krishna came from Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts in Tamil Nadu and were part of the 15 gang members who had entered the forest.
Murthy was injured after the ranks of the Bh Duggappa forest officer opened fire on defense when he tried to attack him with sickle.
On August 21, Shivaraj, 30, Metaradoddi from Ramanagara Regency was killed when the Foresters opened fire on Kenkere Kunigal Taluk’s forest.
The BV Gundappa environment said without the support of the locals, it was impossible for gangs from Tamil Nadu to come and cut sandalwood trees in the district.
Retired Deputy Forest Conservator Nagendra BS Rao said: “Local people find places where sandalwood trees grow, build relationships with smugglers and sandalwood thieves and tell them about their location.” Gundappa said the forestry department did not have enough vehicles and modern weapons to protect their staff.
“The vehicle is provided only to extend forest officers, assistant forest conservators and vice forest conservators,” he said, adding that they were allowed to fight for themselves with barrel weapons from the British era.
Sandalwood from Tumakuru and Chikkamagaluru was supplied to an oil extraction factory at Amarapuram at Andhra Pradesh.
Trees are smuggled through Hiriyur from the Chitradurga district.
Rao said unlike Karnataka, in many countries, the factory was given permission to extract sandalwood oil but in Karnataka.
The Rural Uniform Act is needed to prevent hunting, he added.