Pune: Brazen Sandalwood Thieves Threaten Bungalow Owner, Steal Trees

Shivajinagar, 21st October 2024: Incidents of sandalwood theft are rising rapidly in the city, with thieves becoming increasingly brazen. In a recent case, thieves cut down a sandalwood tree after threatening to pelt stones at the owner of a bungalow in the Fergusson Road area. Thefts have been reported from residential societies, government offices, and educational institutions across Pune, raising security concerns as the thieves have started directly threatening citizens.

Aryan Shirole (23) has lodged a complaint at Deccan Police Station. According to police reports, Shirole’s bungalow, ‘Shivarai,’ is located on Shirole Road, opposite Fergusson College.

On 2nd October, around 4:30 a.m., Shirole heard the sound of a sandalwood tree being cut. When he stepped outside, he saw three to four men cutting down the trees with a saw. Upon shouting for them to stop, the thieves threatened him with stones before fleeing with the stolen sandalwood. Police Sub-Inspector Mahesh Bhosale is currently investigating the case.

This incident follows a similar one last week, when thieves entered a society on Law College Road and cut down a sandalwood tree. Other cases have been reported from Mukund Nagar, Market Yard, and Prabhat Road, where thieves even threatened a female lawyer before stealing the tree. A sandalwood tree was also cut down from the premises of the Ammunition Factory in Khadki.

The growing number of sandalwood thefts in Pune has raised concerns about the inability of the police to apprehend the culprits.