TIRUNELVELI: Four men, including three corporation sanitary workers, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly selling three stray cattle that were seized early this month. The suspects have been identified as K Pechimuthu Pandi (20), K Senthilvel (45), and S Chandranarayanan (39) from Palayamkottai, all sanitary workers, and one O Sudalaimani (43) from Kovilpatti, who allegedly bought a cow from the trio and sold it to another person.
The complaint that led to the arrests was filed by Melapalayam zone sanitary inspector S Perumal (54). The sanitary inspector along with the three workers seized as many as 16 cattle, straying on the roads on November 4, following a direction from Corporation Commissioner G Kannan and brought them to Perumalpuram office.
The next day, Perumal, during inspection found three cows missing. Sources said that the three sanitary workers, who were guarding the area, had told the inspector that the three cows were driven away as they were creating trouble.
Meanwhile, when a man came to take his cow, which is among the three missing ones, home, the workers did not give him a satisfactory explanation. Suspecting misconduct, the sanitary inspector filed a complaint at Perumalpuram police station. Following an investigation, police arrested the four persons under IPC Section 379. Police said that the three cows were worth Rs 90,000.
Senior corporation official said that an internal investigation will be carried out by Health Officer Sathishkumar. So far, 66 stray cows were captured and locked in the goshala in the city in the past week.