Southern States - Kerala   

Sandalwood looted from strong room

By G. Prabhakaran

PALAKKAD SEPT. 13. In a sensational case, 1,425 kg. of sandalwood, 582 kg. of sandal oil and 55 kg. of ivory, worth Rs. two crores, were found stolen from the strong room of the Forest Department at the office complex of the Conservator of Forest, Olavakkode, on Thursday.

The sandalwood and sandal oil, confiscated in some of the sensational smuggling cases, were kept in the strong room adjacent to the range office of the Olavakkode Forest Range, surrounded by the Forest Flying Squad Division Office and Office of the Sub-Inspector of Police, Forest Protection Force, where security personnel are on duty round-the-clock.

An interesting aspect of the case is that the theft took place at least two months ago and the forest authorities came to know about it only on Thursday when they tried to open the strong room to store some sandalwood seized by the Walayar Forest Range officials.

According to forensic experts, the strong room had been cut open with a gas cutter.

The thieves did not leave any of the material even for sample. They said that to cut open the lower portion of the strong room, at least four to five hours of operation is required, and to transport such huge quantities of sandalwood and sandal oil, a big vehicle must have been used.

But, how a vehicle was brought inside the forest office complex, where the Flying Squad, Forest Protection Police and watchers are on duty round-the-clock, is a mystery.

The wood and oil, kept in the room by the Kollengode and Walayar Forest Ranges, were seized in connection with over 20 smuggling and illegal oil extraction cases.

The Kollengode Range officer, Unnikrishnan, told The Hindu that his range had kept 107 kg. of sandal oil, 860 kg. of sandalwood and 13 kg. of ivory.

The Walayar Forest Range had kept 450 kg. of sandal oil, 565 kg. of sandalwood and 42 kg. of ivory. Another 25 litres of unfiltered sandal oil was also found stolen.

One key of the strong room is with the Kollengode Range and the other with the Walayar Range. Sources in the Forest Department said that though this is the first time that such a huge theft from the strong room had taken place, there had been attempts earlier to take away the seized sandalwood and sandal oil, even from the strong room. There was another theft attempt three months ago.

The forest officials of both Kollengode and Walayar said that a huge quantity of sandalwood and other items seized in other cases were kept in their office, and that was giving them sleepless nights. They fear an attack any time from the sandalwood mafia.

They said the breaking open of the strong room and the stealing of the entire confiscated material were aimed at destroying all evidence against the sandal oil extraction units accused of smuggling sandalwood from the Marayur sandal forests and other States.

They said that though the price fixed by the Forest Department for these articles is less, the market price for one kg sandal oil is Rs. 25,000 and one kg of sandalwood, Rs. 5,000.

In Gulf countries, it has a price that may go up to Rs. one lakh per kg. Sandal oil is extracted in the private sector only in Kerala, which is exported to the Gulf and other countries to make high quality perfumes.

The case is being investigated by the Circle Inspector, Hemambika Nagar, N.M. Thomas.

Both the police and forest officials feel that since the case involves crucial evidence in over two dozen major cases, it has to be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation or at least, the Crime Branch.

Some of them feel that there was connivance at some level, to help such a huge and well-planned operation.

Rajesh, forensic expert who examined the strong room, said that clear fingerprints were not available, pointing to the fact that professional thieves committed the crime.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Sandalwood looted from strong room
• Need for personal touch in banking stressed
• Water harvesting to be popularised
• Kumarakom Boat Club wins race
• Tariff arrears: HC seeks Govt. affidavit
• Keep off R&D institutions, politicians told

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu