Man held for stealing sandalwood in Pune

A police team on patrol caught a man with stolen sandalwood stacked in a car in Dhankavdi early on Sunday and arrested Pradeep Shyam More (28) of Wadgaon Budruk. However, his accomplice, Tahir Ansari of Dattawadi, is absconding.

More has been charged under various provisions of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act, 1975; the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964; and the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The incident took place on an open land on Taljai Pathar belonging to Santosh Prakash Jagdale (34), who runs a fabrication unit in Dattanagar. Jagdale's father had planted two sandalwood trees 20 years ago.

Police sub-inspector Tejaswini Yadav said, "More was nabbed by assistant sub-inspector Khot while patrolling in the area called Teen Hatti Chowk. More was standing at the junction with his car in a suspicious manner."

When Jagdale reached Sahakarnagar police station to lodge a complaint, the police had already taken More into custody along with the stolen sandalwood tree pieces.