78 logs of pinewood seized, five held in smuggling bid in Himachal

Seventy-eight logs of pinewood were seized from a truck in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district and five persons have been arrested in connection with the smuggling bid, police said on Friday. The accused -- Brijpal, Vajid, Julsad, Gani and Ahsaan -- were arrested following a tip off, Superintendent of Police Rohit Malpani said. The seized pinewood is worth Rs 2.73 lakh. It was handed over to the forest department, he said. Julsad, Gani and Ahsaan were escorting the truck in their car. Both the vehicles have been impounded, Malpani said.