Five persons, including four tourists, were arrested after they shot and killed a Malabar giant squirrel and a barking deer in the Ketti valley on Monday.
The five accused were identified as V. Manikandan, 43, from Santhoor in Ketti, owner of MK Cottage, a resort in the area, and four tourists — M. Suleiman alias Solomon, 39, from Madurai, C. John Armstrong Babu, 41, D. Jebakumar, 44, and D. Ramaiah, 39, all from Thoothukudi.
The four persons were staying at Manikandan’s cottage. And, all the five had gone for a trip around the cottage on Monday.
Manikandan used his air gun to shoot and kill a Malabar giant squirrel.
The men brought the carcass of the animal to the resort and had cooked and consumed it.
Later in the evening, they went out in their vehicle when they spotted a barking deer by the roadside. Manikandan allegedly shot and killed the animal. The men took the animal and fled the spot.
Local residents heard the gunshots and informed the police. During a vehicle check, police stopped their vehicle. Forest department officials said they found blood and fur of the barking deer inside the car, and took the owner of the vehicle, Manikandan, into custody.
Carcasses found
They then searched a small shed next to his property where they discovered the remains of the carcasses of both the Malabar giant squirrel and the barking deer.
All five involved in hunting the two animals were charged under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
Assistant Conservator of Forests K. Saravanakumar who headed the team formed by the District Forest Officer (Nilgiris division), D. Guruswamy, said that during investigation, it was revealed that Manikandan was the prime instigator in hunting wildlife. “We will probe into whether he has been responsible for the hunting of other wildlife too in the past,” said Mr. Saravanakumar.
