Nine unlicensed country guns that were found abandoned in Jawlagiri forest area were recovered and handed over to police by Forest Department.
Recently, a female elephant aged about 10-year-old was found shot dead with multiple metal pellet injuries in Jawalagiri forest range. According to forest officials, 3 to 4 pellets was found in the elephant skull and they were found to have come from a country gun. Following investigation by a special team, Muthumalesh, a farmer, was arrested.
Forest and police later created awareness among villagers in Sennamallam, Sulugunda, Nandhimangalam, Devarpetta, Belakarai and advised them to hand over unlicensed country guns. Following the call, villagers handed over their unlicensed guns at Kakmaleshwaran Temple and Pandavarpanda region in Jawlagiri Reserve Forest areas on November 22. Forest officials during patrolling in the area on Monday recovered the guns and they were handed over to police personnel.
S. Prabhu, District Forest Officer, Hosur, Assistant Conservator of Forest Bakan Jagadish and other senior officials were present. According to forest officials, in current year, 38 unlicensed country guns were recovered.
Mr.Prabhu said that the drive would continue and they and awareness is being given to villagers to hand over the guns if they are in possession of any. He said they are also mulling ways for alternative measures to prevent elephants from attacking agricultural lands here.
