ERODE: The forest department on Sunday launched an investigation after a viral video showed some uniformed personnel, suspected to be from the special task force (STF), allegedly killing and cooking a tortoise inside Sathyamangalam tiger reserve.
A forest official said, “There is an STF training camp in Mangalapatti forest area near Thengumarahada. It is the meeting point of Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai tiger reserves. The men in the video are speaking Tamil. So, we suspect that the incident may have taken place in Mangalapatti forest. But nothing is certain yet. The video has been sent to top officials of the STF.”
K Sudhakar, DFO of Sathyamangalam, said, “We don’t have any certain information now. An investigation is on.” STF officials, however, denied that personnel in the video are from the camp, An STF officer said, “We have been dragged into this but have no objection for the matter to be investigated.”