KRISHNAGIRI: A 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a female elephant in Jawalagiri Forest Range on Wednesday. The farmer was arrested two days after the jumbo was shot dead.
Wildlife Warden of Hosur Forest Division S Prabhu said that the suspect, M Muthu Mallesh from Chennamaalam was arrested in connection with the elephant killing.
“Muthu was the one who informed the Forest Department that a jumbo was found dead in an elephant-proof trench near his patta land. He was present even during the postmortem examination on Tuesday. We got suspicious when he fled the spot after the results revealed three pellets were shot at the elephant’s head,” Prabhu said Another officer added that Muthu tried to mislead the officials by giving suggestions that the jumbo could have died of electrocution.
A six-member team secured the suspect on Wednesday with an country-made gun from his village. The suspect shot the elephant from just 20-metre away near his farmland. Further inquiry is on.