TIRUCHY: A headmistress of a government school and her son were arrested in Perambalur on Saturday by the forest department, allegedly for hunting and abetment. The incident came to light after photographs shared by the two on social media went viral. Also, the son was in touch with a few hunting clubs based in Pakistan.
Kavi Kumar (30), MBA graduate, and his mother Lakshmi (53), headmistress of Government Middle School in Neyilkullam, were arrested for hunting in the Nedungur Reserve Forest. Officials from Tiruchy range zeroed in on the two, residents of Padalur, after Kavi Kumar posted videos and pictures of his hunting adventures.
D Sujatha, District Forest Officer, said officials raided the house and computer centre run by the Kavi kumar on June 12 and found several photos and videos of hunting. At least seven hunting incidents were traced, the latest dated April 28. Kavi hunted wild boar, Rabbit and Monitor Lizard. Lakshmi was arrested and charged with abetment as they hunting equipment including country made guns and ammunition were seized from the house.
The case took a turn after officials discovered few conversations Kavi Kumar had with members of hunting clubs based in Pakistan. Apparently he used a messenger app to share information. A senior official said, “We found several conversations of the accused sharing the hunting information to Pakistani clubs. We are enquiring to find why he was in touch with them.”
Man electrocuted
A 30-year-old mentally-challenged man was found dead at a farm land in Yeripattu village in Tiruvannamalai. The deceased was identified as T Ammavasai of Navalpakkam. Ammavasai also suffered from speech impairment, police sources said.
Ammavasai on Saturday night had gone to Yeripattu, some four km from his village, where he come in touch with the electric fence. On Sunday morning, the locals found his body and informed police.
R Sudhakar (39), the farm owner had grown sugarcane and to protect it had fenced it illegally, said police. He was booked and arrested.
Sloth bear on the loose
Kadayam Forest Range personnel drove back a sloth bear that entered Puthukudiiruppu village, the buffer zone of the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, back into the forest on Saturday night.
A press release by KMTR said, forester S Murugasamy, guard Saravanan and anti-poaching watchers Manikandan, Pechimuthu and Pasunkili were involved in the late-night operation. It was a tricky situation as the animal took refuge in a mango tree after feasting on coconuts, chikus, mangoes and papaya.
“The personnel used fire torches to scare the bear. It climbed down and went into the forest,” said Nellainayagam. The animal was unharmed. Attracted by fruits, bears enter Bangalakudiiruppu, Kottaivilaipatti, Muthaliyarpatti, Azhagappapuram, Kalyanipuram, Sivasailam and Puthukudiyiruppu villages. There have been instances where they attempted to attack humans.
Leopard fighting for life
An 18 months old female leopard that got entangled in a snare was rescued after a three- hour operation at Arivoli Nagar in Coimbatore, on Sunday afternoon. The big cat is undergoing treatment.
The animal was found lying in banana plantations at Arivoli Nagar in Mothepalayam village on Sunday morning. A team led by M Senthil Kumar Assistant Conservator of forest, veterinary officers Sugumar from Coimbatore and Rajesh from Udagamandalam along with Sadiq Ali Founder of Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT) NGO carried out the rescue operation.
Man fined for monkey video
A 40-year-old man near Veppanahalli was fined by the forest department for uploading a video of a monkey. According to Krishnagiri Forest Ranger Sakthivel, Saravana Kumar (40) of Neralagiri captured a video of bathing a Bonnet macaque, which comes under schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, and uploaded in social media. Following which, he was levied fine of `25, 000.
The officials later released it in a forest near Bargur. Saravana Kumar, who owns a tea stall said, “Four years ago, I found the monkey on the roadside. The animal’s mother had been run over by a vehicle. I took care of it and released it thrice in a forest but every time it came back.”
(With inputs from Tiruvannamalai, Tenkasi, Coimbatore & Krishnagiri)