Smuggling of sand: Cop held

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A policeman, who allegedly tried to smuggle sand from a public worksite, was arrested by the Fort Police here on Tuesday. The policeman was identified as Vijayakumar, 42, of Punchakkari, near Thiruvallom, a Civil Police Officer attached to the Karamana police station in the city.  According to the police, Vijayakumar had allegedly tried to smuggle sand that was heaped on the roadside at Kaladi, near Karamana, with the help of a tipper lorry driver the previous day. But he was confronted by the local residents who blocked him, following which a spat broke out. The situation could not be eased even after the Manacaud Village Officer arrived on the spot. Finally, the police arrived and took the policeman and the lorry driver, Pradeep, into custody.   Both of them were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.