Whereabouts of 100 More Woodcutters Still not Known

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 14th April 2015

VELLORE /  TIRUVANNAMALAI: 

Andhra Pradesh police, while conducting mop-up operations in the Seshachalam Reserve Forest in the last few days, have registered cases against and arrested 61 woodcutters hailing (from Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Salem districts), but reliable sources claim the total figure to be closer to 150.

According to the sources, Nellore and Kadapa district police have arrested around 150 woodcutters hailing from several districts including Venkatagiri, Rapur, Marripadu and Veligonda forest area in Seshachalam Reserve Forest on Saturday and Sunday.  However, further information on them remains scant. The source claimed there were no police records documenting the arrest of several woodcutters especially those arrested in the Seshachalam Reserve Forest area that falls under the Kadapa district. It is believed that they were moved deeper into the forest area in Kadapa and Nellore.

Several members of tribal families living in the villages of Jawadhu Hills (Tiruvannamalai) and Naickaneri Hills (Vellore) remained worried about the fate of other family members reportedly roped in by the red sanders  mafia. Four families in Naickaneri Hills confided that several family members are yet to return with their whereabouts remaining shrouded in mystery. 

“The lives of over 100 youth from the tribal villages from northern districts are in grave danger. They are being kept under illegal custody. We are trying to bail them out,” said Palaniammal of People’s Watch.

The arrested and missing woodcutters include those who were lured by the red sander mafia several months ago. A government official in Vellore claimed that, “a total of 17 persons (five from Kambukollai in Ambur Town and 12 from Naickaneri panchayat) were hired by red sander mafias two months ago. They are believed to be arrested and lodged in Kadapa jail.” He further said that five others from tribal villages in Naickaneri panchayat had been arrested 18 months ago and incarcerated in a jail in Tirupathi.

(Clockwise from top) PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss interacting with the family members of the seven slain woodcutters in Chittari hills of Dharmapuri; people gather in front of a Heritage Fresh outlet in Ayanavaram in Chennai; and police arranging the seized red sanders logs in Katpadi in Vellore on Monday | s dinesh/ express