Uttar Pradesh STF sources said on Tuesday that seven people who formed the red sandalwood smuggling gang, influenced by Allu Arjun’s film ‘Pushpa’, have been arrested from Mathura. A STF release issued here said Deepak alias Dalveer, Ajit Kumar Yadav, Sumit alias Ram, Chandra Pratap alias Babbu, Sumit Das, Jitendra and Ranjit were arrested on Monday on information received from the Highway Police Station. Arrested on the basis of
He said that in a joint operation with the Forest Department team, 563 kg of red sandalwood worth about Rs 2 crore was recovered from them. The accused were in Mathura to sell sandalwood.
The accused were inspired by the film ‘Pushpa’
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According to the STF, the accused confessed that they took inspiration from ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ and decided to make quick money by stealing expensive wood. The gang had kept the wood with Delhi resident Rana, who has the license of Timber Chamber.
The STF said that they used to bring red sandalwood illegally from Andhra Pradesh and sell it at religious places and areas around Mathura. An FIR has been registered against seven people at the Highway Police Station under relevant sections of the IPC and other acts.
Let’s tell that actor Allu Arjun’s movie Pushpa: The Rise was in discussion for a long time. According to the makers, it has been the highest grossing movie of 2021. In this movie, it has been told about the smuggling of red sandalwood found in Seshachalam forest of North India, which is sold for crores of rupees.
most expensive wood
Significantly, sandalwood is considered the most expensive wood. Its market price is around 26 thousand to 30 thousand rupees per kg. From one tree, the farmer gets 15 to 20 kg of wood comfortably. In such a situation, he easily gets 5 to 6 lakh rupees from a tree. At present, the government has banned the sale and purchase of sandalwood. In such a situation, only the government buys it. According to the rules made in 2017, any farmer can cultivate sandalwood. But only the government can export.
How many types of sandalwood?
Please tell here that there are two types of sandalwood. One white sandalwood and the other red sandalwood. White sandalwood is cultivated the most in North India. Because it requires 7.5 pH soil. On the other hand, red sandalwood tree requires soil with pH of 4.5 to 6.5. This is the reason why red sandalwood is cultivated in South India. Sandalwood trees cannot be grown in sandy and snowy areas.