Forest department sources revealed that the police check post was located on forest land and not on revenue land. 

As this move was undertaken without knowledge of forest department, the latter pasted a notice on the metal checkpost office signed by the Tirupattur forest range officer stating that the Ambalur police station had encroached on government forest land and put up the checkpost in the Thumberi reserve forest and that despite repeated letters – including registered post with acknowledgement – sent over three months, police failed to remove the check post. 

Hence the notice stated that if the post was not removed on or before April 30, action would be taken to remove the checkpost officially. Forest sources said that similar notices were also pasted on 14 houses which were built illegally in the forest area near the police check post. 

When asked Tiruapttur SP Dr P Vijayakumar said, “the check post – actually a converted metal container – was placed on the present location only after discussions with the Tiruapttur DFO.” He said that this is necessary as the area witnesses regular smuggling of PDS rice to Andhra Pradesh while illicit distillation and hooch stills are numerous on both sides of the border resulting in people on both sides benefitting. 

Stating that this was a non issue, he said, “we are now discussing with forest officials on setting up an integrated check post manned by both police and forest officials.” However, locals in the know said the issue was due to disparity between both departments in the ‘earnings’ from smugglers.