DHARMAPURI: Eight people have been fined Rs 5.50 lakh by the Forest Department staff on the charge of hunting a spotted deer near Barigam reserve forest in Dharmapuri district.
The poachers were caught while butchering the deer earlier this month when the department staff were conducting a routine inspection in the forest 20 days ago.
“T Durai, aka Ramasamy (45) was found slaughtering a spotted deer within the forest range. On noticing the forest staff, Durai and seven other people who were with him escaped. Following this, the forest staff conducted an investigation and issued a notice seeking an explanation,” said Dharmapuri Ranger Arunprasath.
Thereafter, Durai and the seven accomplices arrived at the Dharmapuri Forest range office. The group confessed to trapping the spotted deer using wire traps and killing it with the intent to consume its meat.
Based on the orders from the Dharmapuri district forest officer, KV Appala Naidu, the prime accused Durai and his accomplice M Bhagyaraj (38) were fined Rs 40,000 and Rs 35,000, respectively. G Tamilselvan (45), V Periyasamy (42), S Siddhanandan (28) and S Satishkumar (32) were fined Rs 25,000 each. Two others K Veerasiman (50) and T Jaishankar (29) were fined Rs 10,000 each.
Further, the eight people were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and a total fine of Rs 5.50 lakh was collected.