11 sandalwood trees stolen from Delhi zoo

“People are likely to have entered from the Sunder Nursery side in the early morning hours. A barbed wire fence over the boundary wall was found to have been cut. A total of 11 trees were found to have been felled – eight near the Azimganj area and three near the director’s residence,” Mahajan said.

“Many among the staff didn’t know that there are sandalwood trees here. If we had known, it would have been cordoned off. The gardener knew and told us that they had been cut. The trees were cut and carried away,” Mahajan said.

Mahajan also said that a show-cause notice has been issued to the security agency for what was considered to be a lapse and that night patrolling has been strengthened after the incident.

After stray dogs attacked deer at the zoo last year, zoo officials said that parts of the wall were being fortified. “After the incident with the dogs, night patrol by the staff was already being ensured, but it is now being strengthened,” she said.