6 months ago
2
A one-and-a-half-year-old pistillate elephant calf died aft consuming an avuttukai (country-made explosive) allegedly placed to hunt chaotic boars successful the reserve wood country of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). One idiosyncratic has been arrested successful transportation with the incident, portion a hunt is connected to nab the different accused.
The carcass was recovered connected January 10, 2026, during a regular patrol successful the Boothikadu scope of the Guthiyalathur reserve forest, which falls nether the Kadambur Forest Range successful the Sathyamangalam Division. Forest unit alerted Kulal Yogesh Vilas, Deputy Director of STR and District Forest Officer of Sathyamangalam Division.
A postmortem was conducted nether the Tamil Nadu Elephant Death Audit Framework (EDAF) successful the beingness of the Deputy Director, a Forest Range Officer from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, the president of the Eco Development Committee from Malliamman Durgham, and the coordinator of the READ NGO. The Forest Veterinary Assistant Surgeon of STR performed the autopsy, which confirmed that the calf died owed to injuries caused by a country-made explosive bait. Samples of captious organs were collected for laboratory analysis.
Subsequently, a peculiar probe squad (SIT) headed by the Ekkathur conception forester was formed to way down those responsible. During the investigation, 1 suspect, K. Kaalimuthur of Thondur successful the elevation area, was arrested connected Monday (January 12) and a wildlife offence lawsuit was registered astatine the Kadambur Forest Range. Legal proceedings person been initiated, and a peculiar squad has been deployed to apprehend the different suspect, who is presently absconding. Since an explosive substance was involved, the Kadambur constabulary were besides alerted, and further enquiry is nether way.
