Two held on charge of poaching birds

Samples of carcasses collected for probe

Officials of the Kerala Forest Department have apprehended two persons for poaching birds in Panthakapadam in Malayattoor.

Jomon and Anuraj, both residents of Malayattoor, were nabbed by Section Forest Officers P. O. Tomy and Muhammed Kabir, based on a tip-off. The officials seized carcasses of four cattle egrets, two Indian pond-herons and an Indian palm squirrel from the persons’ car, along with an air-gun.

“The carcasses of the birds and squirrel were found from their car and they were taken into custody,” said a forest official.

Officials said that they had collected samples of the carcasses for the investigation and that the rest of the remains were buried as per court orders. The investigation of the case was later taken over by Aneesha Siddique, Range Forest Officer of the Kodanad Research Range.

The arrested persons, meanwhile, were produced in the Kalady judicial magistrate court on Friday, which remanded them in judicial custody till November 21.

All species that were hunted are listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).