An illegal vehicle safari in the Singara Forest Range in the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) was stopped by Nilgiris North forest division staff at around midnight on Monday.
A team of forest staff, including Forest Range Officer, Singara Range, S. Selvaraj, forest guards, Thangaraj and Jayaraj, forest watchers, Karnan and Ramkumar and anti-poaching watchers were on patrol when they spotted a vehicle inside the Singara Reserve Forest.
Forest staff gave chase to the vehicle, which lasted for close to 30 minutes. The driver of the vehicle tried to flee from the department staff by trying to cross a small stream. The vehicle managed to get across the stream but got caught in a small trench bordering the forest, and the driver as well as the tourists who were with him inside the vehicle escaped.
Mr. Selvaraj said that the department personnel seized the vehicle and brought it back to their field office. After investigating, they learned that the vehicle was owned by R. Kanagaraj and was being driven by his son K Mahendran from Masinagudi during the time the incident occurred.
A cumulative fine of ₹ 50,000 was imposed on both Kanagaraj and Mahendran by the forest department.
Based on the instructions of the District Forest Officer (Nilgiris North Division), S Kalanidhi, a special team has been formed specifically check the illegal entry of private vehicles into the forests in the buffer zone of MTR. The team, comprising three range officers from Nilgiris North Eastern Slope, Kattabettu and Sigur, are to help Singara Range officials conduct patrols along the route and stop illegal vehicle operators.
