Real life 'Pushpa' smuggling red sandalwood via train caught in Delhi

Luck ran out for real life Pushpa after he was caught at the railway station in the national capital while smuggling red sandalwood. The accused identified as Arif, 46, a resident of Delhi, was involved in smuggling the redwood from Visakhapatnam to Delhi.

Sharing details about the case, DCP (Railways) Harendra K Singh said on February 3 around 2 p.m. during patrolling, a police team noticed a person behaving suspiciously near Gate No. 1, Paharganj side, New Delhi Railway Station, and carrying a blue colour trolley bag. He was questioned but was evasive and didn't disclose about the articles inside the bag.

"His bag was checked and one red colour log was recovered," the official said.

To identify the recovered log, the District Forest Range Officer was called to the spot, who identified the recovered log as red sandalwood.

The police then registered a case under sections 379 and 411 of the Indian Penal Code and section 2, 33 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act and seized the log.

During interrogation, Arif disclosed that he along with his associates was smuggling the redwood from Visakhapatnam to Delhi and supplying it to a gang selling sandalwood in Delhi. They smuggled the red sandalwood to the national capital by train concealing it inside trolley bags. This time he had taken AP Express to smuggle the redwood.

"Several teams have been constituted to raid different locations in Delhi and other states and to apprehend other people involved in this racket," the DCP said.