Supply of sophisticated firearms to forest personnel for their combing operations and self-defence in the rough terrain of the red sanders-rich Seshachalam ranges in Chittoor and Kadapa districts continues to be a dream, while they are forced to chase woodcutters from Tamil Nadu carrying bore pump action guns, which are meant to deliver pellets but produce heavy noise.
Friday’s encounter with a 55-year-old woodcutter from the Jawadi Hills of Tamil Nadu at the plain jungles near Srikalahasti in the Chittoor district was the first episode involving forest personnel without police escort.
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The casualty reportedly took place after a 10-hour chase by a six-member forest staff, including five outsourcing personnel, of more than the 20 woodcutters in the night across the rough terrain from the Rajampeta division of Kadapa district to Gollapalle village of Srikalahasti mandal.
Divisional Forest Officer (Rajampeta) Kadarvalli told