Six arrested for illegal gravel smuggling in Erode

Six people were arrested in Erode district on Sunday for smuggling gravel. The arrests happened during a routine vehicle check by police at Nichampalayam. Police stopped a tipper lorry that was carrying gravel without the needed permit. The driver, 45-year-old Kumar, and his cleaner, 45-year-old Ravikumar, both from Perundurai, confessed to transporting the gravel illegally. Further investigations revealed four more suspects linked to the operation. They are Rasu, 49, Sasi, 36, and Vivek, 32, all from Perundurai, as well as Prabu, 34, from Salem. Authorities seized the lorry, an excavator, a car, and ₹58,000 in cash. The suspects remain in custody, and investigations are ongoing.