Gang attacks Forest Range Officer& policeman: frees wanted man

IDUKKI (Kerala) : A gang attacked a Forest Range Officer and a policeman and freed an accused in a sandalwood smuggling case at Marayoor near here today while he was being being taken for questioning.

The two were injured and hospitalised after being beaten up by a 50-strong crowd, who waylaid their vehicle and freed the man, wanted in connection with a sandalwood felling case, police said.

Some of those in the crowd are suspected to be CPI-M workers as the accused was a close relative of a local party leader, sources said.

Marayoor is one of the rare forest stretches in Kerala where sandalwood trees still grows in abundance while in most other ranges the aromatic tree has been felled extensively by gangs over decades.

Forest and Wildlife officials have stepped up guard at the Marayoor range over the last few years to preserve its sandal trees.

However, there have been instances of armed inter-state sandalwood smuggling gangs striking in the area, who often indulge in strongarm tactics against law-enforcers.