Seven held for poaching wild boar
Officials of the Forest Department, Coimbatore Division, have arrested seven persons in connection with two incidents of poaching wild boar, near Marudhamalai and near Thadagam, in the last two days.Following reports about poaching of wild boar for consumption and selling meat, the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, R. Kannan and the District Forest Officer, I. Anwardeen, ordered for enhanced vigil and patrolling by special teams along the reserve forest areas closer to human habitations. Accordingly, two teams led by Range Officers, G. Rajeshwaran (Pooluvampatti) and A. Soundarrajan (Coimbatore) were pressed into service.The forest personnel of the Pooluvampatti range came across an incident of poaching near Marudhamalai.The teams arrested brick kiln workers Kandasamy (26) of Chinnathadagam, Kalichamy (25) and Raman (28) of Somayanur. The accused is said to have placed explosives inside poultry meat waste and dump them in areas frequented by wild boars. When boars bite them they get killed. The officials registered a case under Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and section 21 (d) and (h) of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act of 1882. District Forest Officer ordered for remanding the accused to judicial custody.
In the incident relating to poaching of a wild boar near Somayanur, a team led by Forester M. Senthilkumar along with R. Manickam and R. Kumar arrested a four-member gang for killing a boar in a farm close to the reserve forest boundary. The accused were identified as A. Mahalingam (25), L. Mayilsamy (46), R. Chinnathmban (26) and R. Palanisamy (30). The accused were fined Rs. 4,000 each.
