TIRUCHY: In a horrific incident, a gang of 12 Narikuravars were arrested by the forest department for killing a jackal using explosives near Jeeyapuram in Tiruchy on Monday. According to forest officials, the jackal died as the explosive stuffed inside meat ripped its jaws upon eating.
Even as the outcry regarding the killing of an elephant using explosives in Kerala is yet to fade out, a new incident comes to light in Tiruchy in which a group of Narikuravars killed a jackal by stuffing explosives in meat. The miscreants allegedly killed the jackal for its teeth and meat.
"The group of miscreants went for honey harvesting to a village. While returning, they spotted the presence of a jackal roaming around. So in an attempt to hunt it down, the accused used country-made bombs and blew its jaw off," said a senior forest official.
Reportedly, the incident came to light after a police constable spotted the group of Narikuravar drinking tea at a stall with the carcass in a shady bag.
"A police constable attached to the Jeeyapuram station spotted the group of Narikuravaras in a tea stall. Seeing their suspective behaviour, he enquired with them. During the initial inquiry, it was found that they had hunted the jackal. Later the information was passed on to us," added the forest officer.
The 12 people accused includes Ramraj (21), Saravanan (25), Yesudas (34), Sarathkumar (28), Devadas (41), Pandian (31), Vijayakumar (38), SAThyamoorthy (36), Sarathkumar (26), Rajamanikam (70) Raju (45) Patampillai (78). All the accused belong to Pulankudi Colony near Thiruverumbur.
Following the arrest, the forest officials conducted further investigation regarding how they had country bombs in their possession.