Pune police launched an investigation after unidentified individuals allegedly stole two sandalwood trees from the offices of a prominent lawyer. Asim Sarode near Deccan Gymkhana early Monday.
Upon receiving information about the incident, a team from Deccan police station visited the spot. Girisha Nimbalkar, senior police inspector of the police station, said, “We have spoken to lawyer Asim Sarode to file a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the sandalwood theft incident.”
Sarode said the trees were cut down and stolen around 4am and that people living nearby had heard them being cut down. “The spot is not covered by our office’s CCTV cameras, but a youth recorded a video of the theft of sandalwood from a nearby building. It shows four people leaving the spot with the sandalwood logs on a four-wheeler,” the lawyer said.
“Roads in the area are closed due to this. Pune Grand Tour Cycle Race 2026. The FIR will be filed later in the day,” he added.
Asim Sarode is known for taking up cases related to human rights violations and is vocal about his anti-BJP and RSS stand. He was among the activists who launched the “Nirbhay Bano” campaign against the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections.
Previously there have also been multiple reports of thefts in Deccan Gymkhana area and surrounding places. In the early hours of August 11, 2024, a gang of about eight people stole a 70-year-old sandalwood tree from the premises of a bungalow in Bharati Nivas Colony, Erandwane, in Prabhat Road area.
The loud noise generated by cutting down the tree woke up the residents of the bungalow who quickly rushed to the scene. The robbers, however, threatened to kill them by pointing sharp weapons at them before escaping. The FIR in this case was also lodged at the Deccan police station.
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On October 22, 2024, thieves who were stealing sandalwood from the premises of an old unused bungalow on Abhinav School Road in Erandwane attacked the police personnel and injured one of the constables. The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a gang of sandalwood thieves.