Hyderabad: Fight over the precious sandalwood has been on for years in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Several police officials have lost their lives in trying to prevent such illegal activities.

In one such encounter, twenty red sanders were shot dead by task forces at around 5:00 am on Tuesday morning in the Seschalam forests near Tirupati in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Police sources said the smugglers, armed with sickles and axes, hurled stones at cops to provoke the crackdown. Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) sleuths then opened fire on the men.

Majority of those killed were from Tamil Nadu. According to sources, 2 among those killed were international red sanders.

Here is a timeline of the red-sandalwood encounters:

July 12, 2011: Forest officer M Srinivasulu was killed by red sanders at Panuguru near Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. This was the first incident in which a forest department official was killed by smugglers in the state in the last two decades.

Dec 3, 2012: A red sander was killed by police.

Dec 16, 2012: Red sanders attacked two forest officials and stoned them to death in Seshachalam forests. Deputy Range Officer Sridhar and Assistant Beat Officer David Kumar were killed on the spot and three others were injured in the attack near Thumburu Theertham.

May 29, 2014: A major encounter broke out between forest officers and three red sander smugglers in Seshachalam forests. Five police officials were also injured in the encounter.

April 7, 2015: At least 20 red sander smugglers were shot dead by forest department officials in Seschalam forests near Tirupati in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.