The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Sandalwood thefts difficult to stop, say police

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 12, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sandalwood thefts difficult to stop, say police

SANDALWOOD THEFT cases are being regularly reported from the city. Such incidents are mainly occurring on the premises of government institutions.

For instance, on Tuesday night thieves cut a sandalwood tree on the Indian Air Force premises in Gangammanagudi police station limits and made away with the logs.

Over the years, many cases of sandalwood theft have been reported from the IAF premises.

In another incident on Tuesday night, four armed men assaulted the watchman of a house in Ashoknagar police station limits and felled a sandalwood tree on the premises.

In the past, sandalwood trees were cut and the logs stolen from the Income Tax Department staff quarters in J.C. Nagar, Maharani's College Grounds, BWSSB office compound on Bellary Road, Aranya Bhavan, the headquarters of the State Forest Department, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore University campus, the Indian Statistics Institute at Kengeri and Cubbon Park.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), M.C. Narayana Gowda, said there was no alarming rise in sandalwood theft cases. However, some stray incidents are being reported, he said.

The police have intensified patrolling during night in areas where sandalwood trees are in abundance. Hoysala and Cheetah patrol squads have been directed to a keep vigil on such places, Mr. Gowda said.

"We suspect those who were involved in sandalwood theft cases in the past, on being released from jail, are committing these crimes," the police officer said.

An official attached to the Cubbon Park police, in whose jurisdiction sandalwood trees are in large numbers, said they had prepared a list of sandalwood trees in their area.

The police maintain that it is not possible to totally stop sandalwood thefts. There are sandalwood trees in all parts of the city and it is not possible for the police to keep vigil on every tree, they say.

Referring to thefts reported from government land, a Deputy Commissioner of Police said the officials of the respective departments too should take care of their property. As government land is vast and lack adequate security compared to private premises, sandalwood thieves have been targeting such places.

He suggests that the authorities should take police security for their premises or get their watch and ward staff trained by the police.

The police officials in the city also feel that their counterparts in Bangalore Rural district should heighten vigil on Medimallasandra, Kattigehalli, Byalnarsapura and Adigarakallahalli to check sandalwood smuggling.

These villages on the outskirts of the city have been the main centres for sandalwood smuggling and people from these villages had committed a majority of the sandalwood thefts in the city, the police say.

Two youths from one of these villages were shot dead by the police in Malleswaram in 1999 when they were attempting to steal sandalwood.

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Sandalwood thefts difficult to stop, say police