Villupuram district forest officer S Anand said they received a specific information that a group of narikuravas (a tribe) were selling spotted deer skins in Kondam area in Tiruvannamalai district.

Following this, the narikuravas were lured by the officials, who posed as prospective buyers. They were asked to come to Gingee.

A narikurava man came to Gingee on a two-wheeler with five skins. Forest officials arrested him and seized the skins. The arrested man has been identified as Mannan, hailing from Melmalayanur village in Tiruvannamalai district.

"A narikurava settlement is there in the village, and we suspect that the men living there indulge in poaching," Anand said.

He said all the skins bore bullet marks, which clearly indicated that the deer were shot dead by the narikuravas with country-made guns.

A case was filed against Mannan.