The Hindu : Kerala News : Officials attacked during raid

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Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Officials attacked during raid

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD, JAN. 30. A 28-member team of Forest and police officials who had gone to arrest one of the accused in the Marayur sandal smuggling case was attacked allegedly by the sandal mafia at Chirakkalpadi in Mannarkkad, near here, in the early hours of today.

Eleven forest officials were injured in lathi blows and stone throwing by the 200-member gang that included some local people. During the attack, the accused H. Ashraf, alias Mani, owner of a closed sandal factory at Kannimari, escaped with his family members in two vehicles parked in front of his house, the deputy ranger, Marayur forest range, T.G. Mohanan, said.

The deputy ranger, Marayur, P.S. Sivaprasad, said that when the raiding team reached Ashraf's house, his father came out. But he went inside to attend a phone call and locked the door from inside. In another 10 minutes, large numbers of people came in vehicles and attacked the officials.

Caught unawares

The officials said they did not carry firearms as they never expected an attack from the accused. Thirteen forest officials and three police officials from Munnar were in the team. The case relates to the smuggling of 180 kg of sandalwood from Marayur sandal forest reserve four days ago.

The forest officials had taken four persons from Panikkankudi, Adimali, in the Munnar forest division, into custody in connection with the case. They said the sandalwood was sold to Ashraf.

Later, a team of police and Forest officials went to the house of Ashraf, but they found it locked. The officials sealed the house and put police on guard duty there.

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