The Udumbanchola police in Keralam’s Idukki on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) arrested four men in connection with the theft of two earth movers that were in custody under the Ponmudi forest section of the Devikulam range in the district.

According to officials, the Forest department registered a case on September 2 over the illegal felling of 69 trees from the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) area of a private estate under the Ponmudi section. Officials seized two earth movers used for felling and clearing the trees. After registering the case, the department sealed the vehicles, took them into custody, and submitted a report to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Nedumkandam.

Devikulam Range Officer E.D. Arun Kumar said the owner of the earth movers led a four-member team on Monday night, using two lorries to steal the impounded vehicles from the spot. “They destroyed the official seals and marks affixed by the Forest department. During patrol, Ponmudi section forest officer P.A. Johnson noticed the theft, tracked the vehicles to Chathurangappara, and alerted Chathurangappara section forest officer V. Shibukumar, the Devikulam range officer, and Udumbanchola police. The police team reached the spot, arrested the accused, and recovered the stolen vehicles. When the Forest department seized one of the earth movers, the accused themselves brought in the other to the same estate,” the official said.

The arrested individuals were identified as Rajakumari residents and tipper drivers Basil, 33, and Shalbin, 28, along with their helpers Bibin, 26, and Ajin, 26.

Mr. Kumar stated that the theft of seized equipment is a serious crime. “Two cases have now been booked against the accused—one for illegal tree felling and another for the theft of vehicles held in custody,” he said.

In June, massive tree felling and illegal construction were reported at the Gudanpara estate under the Ponmudi forest section of the Devikulam range. The Kerala High Court later initiated a suo motu case regarding the incident.