The prolific red sanders' smuggling racket in Chittoor district is proving to be even more profitable to those whose responsibility is to uphold law and order. Citing security and the wide-spread smuggling as the reason, checkposts in that districts have been turned into police strongholds, with constables checking every vehicle that passes the checkposts.
This might seem reasonable enough. However, in the age-old tradition of authority figures left unchecked, these checkposts have allegedly turned into breeding grounds for corruption, with the constables raking in lakhs of rupees in terms of bribes to let travellers in through the gates, even if the latter are blameless.
It has gone to such an extent that these checkposts have allegedly turned into collection centres, with the constables in charge of them maintaining account books to keep a track of their "earnings".
Upon being questioned about the same during an exposé immediately after being caught red handed on camera, a constable blithely claimed that they had stopped taking bribes a long time back.
The locals, on the other hand, blame government officials and ministers, as they feel that these corrupt constables are being backed by them.
filed in:Smuggling, Cop Crimes, Corruption, Red Sanders Smuggling Racket, Chittoor