Gariaband, June 12 -- A joint team of police and forest officials foiled a bid to smuggle expensive teak planks, which were hidden in a pond, riverbanks and concealed in a backyard by taking a cue from the film 'Pushpa', at a village under Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh.

Following inputs about illegal storage of teak planks, a joint team of police and forest officials swung into action and conducted a search at village Sahebinkachhar, resulting in the recovery of the expensive timber from a pond and other places, informed Gariaband Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Varun Jain.

Moreover, parts of a porcupine, traps, bombs, a petrol-powered chainsaw, three handsaws and sofa sets made of teak were ...