India: Kollam Gangi Reddy, wanted in a number of red sanders smuggling cases, was arrested by Interpol in Mauritius while he was trying to board a flight to Sri Lanka, according to information reaching police and Forest Department officials here.

A top Forest Department official in Hyderabad described it as a big catch, which would lead to the unravelling of international ramifications of smuggling of red sanders, endemic to forests in Chittoor and Kadapa districts. Gangi Reddy had jumped bail in one of the smuggling cases and has been on the run for the last nine months. Besides a host of red sanders smuggling cases, Gangi Reddy was one of the several accused in the attack on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2003 at Alipiri but got acquitted. After the 2014 general elections, Gangi Reddy fled to Dubai, as police launched a search for him, suspecting him to be a possible threat to Mr. Naidu. Gangi Reddy hails from Vathuluru in Pullampeta mandal of Kadapa district. Divisional Forest Officer (Tirupati wildlife) G. Srinivasulu confirmed to The Hindu that he had received information regarding Gangi Reddy’s arrest. Additional Superintendent of Police (red sanders operations), Ms. V. Ratna said “We will pursue all the cases against him.”

(Source : The Hindu)