Panchkula, Nov. 2 -- Following investigations, the Panchkula Sector 26 crime branch on Friday arrested four persons for illegal cutting and theft of Khair wood.

The accused were identified as Salim Khan, alias Salim, Isran and Yunus, alias Bhura, all residents of Yamunanagar, and Usman, a resident of Himachal Pradesh.

The accused were produced in court and remanded to two days of police custody for further interrogation to identify other persons involved and to recover tools used in cutting the trees.

Earlier on October 24, police had received a tip-off that two pickup vehicles loaded with stolen Khair wood were moving from Pinjore toward Panchkula.

A checkpoint was up, but the drivers abandoned the vehicles and fled upon seeing the p...