Forest Department personnel have recovered two tusks and arrested one person in this connection. Sources in the department said police personnel, following a tip-off, intercepted an autorickshaw at Reddiyarpatti in Palayamkottai late on Thursday evening. While the patrol team nabbed V. Karuthapandi (36) of Thimmarajapuram near here, his associate P. Maruthupandi, also from Thimmarajapuram, managed to escape.
On checking the vehicle, the police recovered two tusks, weighing about 480 gm and 370 gm. Then the police handed over Karuthapandi along with the tusks to forest personnel. During interrogation, Karuthapandi reportedly told the forest personnel that they were scouting for potential buyers after Maruthupandi had got the tusks from an “unknown person”. Karuthapandi was remanded in judicial custody on Thursday night.
When the news on the recovery of two tusks broke out on Friday, senior forest officials remained tight-lipped and refused to divulge any details.
