In a daring recurring crime, sandalwood smugglers targeted the Sahayagiri Ashram property on the Marayoor-Kanthalloor road, felling and stealing a valuable sandalwood tree late Thursday night. This incident marks the second such theft on the same private land within just one month, following the loss of two other trees just 20 days prior. Local residents are raising serious concerns as the investigation into the previous theft has seen little progress, emboldening the “sandalwood mafia” in the region. Since the theft occurred on private property, the primary responsibility for the probe lies with the Marayoor police, who are currently understaffed and struggling to track the culprits. The community is now demanding the formation of a special police task force to protect private groves and prevent further depletion of the area’s precious sandalwood wealth.
