The Forest department personnel arrested three people, including a person from Tamil Nadu, on charges of illegal entry into Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and planning to hunt wild animals, on Wednesday night. The arrested are – Aiyyan, Shivakumar of Athuru village near Gopinatham and Marimuthu from Tamil Nadu.
The poachers – Marimuttu, who had been apprehended twice before, Kavin Kumar and Vignesh, were tracked and arrested after their movements in the wildlife sanctuary were recorded on camera traps.
The three accused are from Pennagaram taluk, Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu.
A country gun, an air gun (belonging to the ‘doctor’) and ammunition were confiscated.
The laxity of protection in adjoining forests of Tamil Nadu bordering Gopinathan (where the notorious Veerappan once ruled) gives poachers the leeway to hunt in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Easy access to illegal country guns encourages local people to take to poaching in the border districts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The Tamil Nadu government should forthwith motivate foresters who have been demoralised by agents of an international NGO.