Tirupattur : On Sunday morning, forest officials arrested a 28-year-old tribal man named T. Anumuthu for poaching in the Ambur Reserve Forest, located in the Tirupattur district. The reserve forest is renowned for its dense population of spotted deer and wild boar, thanks to its proximity to the Jawadhu Hills. The forest officials caught Anumuthu during a routine patrol in the prohibited area, about two kilometers from his village, Pannakattu. The forest team consisted of five members, who discovered Anumuthu carrying a locally made gun, explosives, nets, torch lights, and batteries.
As soon as Anumuthu spotted the forest team, he attempted to flee the scene, leaving behind his belongings. However, the team managed to apprehend him. During the initial interrogation, Anumuthu confessed that he was a regular visitor to the reserve forest for hunting small wild animals to sell their meat and hide. He claimed that his meager income as a wage laborer in the village was insufficient to support his family, and hunting in the reserve forest was the only way to make ends meet.
Anumuthu had procured the locally-made gun from neighboring Kerala through contacts. Forest officials registered a case under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, against Anumuthu for his illegal hunting activities in the reserve forest. Later in the day, Anumuthu was produced before the Judicial Magistrate in the Combined Court complex in Ambur. The magistrate sent him to 14-day judicial custody and ordered him to be lodged at the sub-jail in the town.
In summary, the Ambur Reserve Forest has been a target for poachers due to its rich wildlife population, and Anumuthu is the latest culprit caught in this illegal activity. His arrest is a significant win for forest officials in the ongoing battle against poaching and illegal hunting in the reserve forest.
