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Friday, December 10, 2010

Elephant shot dead near Anchetti; farmer held

Friday, Dec 10, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/10/stories/2010121053900500.htm


KRISHNAGIRI: A female elephant was allegedly shot dead by a farmer in the village Ulibenda, near Jawalagiri Reserve Forest, in Krishnagiri district on Wednesday night.

A farmer Narayanan (28) of Varadegoundan Thotti, village near Anchetti, was held by the forest officials on Thursday afternoon.

District Forest Officer A.K. Ulaganathan told The Hindu that according to the post mortem report the elephant had haemorrhage and cavity in the brain with multiple fractures in the head.

The farmer will be produced before a local court in Denkanikottai on Friday and will be lodged in the Salem Central Prison. The muscle loading country-made gun used by the farmer was also recovered.

According to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the accused may be imprisoned for a minimum period of three years if the charges are proved.

To prevent the animals entering into the human habitations, the villagers along the Reserve Forest were provided with Heavy Duty Torch Lights and Crackers.Mr. Ulaganathan said that the Forest Department is taking all efforts to get compensation for the crop loss to farmers in this region.

He made an appeal to the farmers not to attack the wild animals.

The Department has also taken up initiatives to disburse compensation to the farmers for crop loss in this region. The compensation would be distributed during next week, he added.