A 45-year-old man from Chamrajanagar in Karnataka was arrested by the Forest Department for attempting to hunt wild animals and also setting fire in forest areas in the Talavadi Forest Range in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve here.
Based on a tipoff, a team led by Talavadi Forest Ranger S. Sivakumar inspected Gumtapuram area on April 7 and found a person inside the forest area. The man escaped when the team tried to nab him, but was apprehended by a special team on April 9. He was identified as B. Sennanjan of Thotti village in Chamrajanagar.
The man had allegedly attempted to hunt deer and pigs using wire snares, and also mixed poison in the very little water in a pit in the forest. Officials said he was also involved in setting fire to forest areas on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border area a few times. Inquiries revealed that he was involved in hunting tiger and elephants and cases were pending against him in Talavadi and Karnataka.
A case for attempting to hunt and setting fire to forest areas was registered under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was arrested and produced before the court in Sathyamangalam and sent to prison.
