Three members of gang smuggling sandalwood held
A special team of the Coimbatore City Police late on Saturday night arrested in Kerala three of a 10-member inter-State sandalwood smuggling gang that robbed two policemen of a pistol here on February 23. The pistol was not recovered. The city police had constituted special teams to probe the incident. The teams co-ordinated with the Coimbatore Rural Police and the Kerala police, sharing intelligence and seeking assistance, when required. During a vehicle check in the Naatukal police limits in Palakkad district of Kerala, one of the special teams intercepted a jeep and arrested H. Haris (33) of Mannarkad, B. Syed Alavi Kunjani (49) and F.M. Sharbudeen alias Sherief (23) of Palakkad. The jeep used by the gang for smuggling sandalwood logs was seized. The three were brought to Coimbatore along with the jeep. The hunt for the seven other gang members is continuing.