TRICHY: Four people, including a retired military man and a retired assistant commissioner of police were on Thursday remanded in 15 days' judicial custody by the Trichy judicial magistrate court -V for poaching 11 peafowl. The case assumes importance because the people could not cite ignorance of law, nor could they argue that it was chicken meat since it was not cooked as they were caught red-handed with the skinned protected bird.
Acting on a tipoff, a team of forest officials intercepted a Tata Safari near Nachikurichi Rettai Vaikkal on the Somarasampettai to Trichy Road in Srirangam taluk at around 5.15am when four persons - S M Jeyaraj, 61 a retired assistant commissioner of police, his son J Dinakar Samuel Raj, 29, both from Ezhil Nagar, former military man I John Paul Raj, 48, from Tennur, and G Gopal, 45, from R I Malai at Kulithalai in Karur district - were returning home with the skinned birds. The officials seized the vehicle, a country gun, a battery set, a headlight and a knife from them. The poaching allegedly took place on Wednesday night at a private farm in Thayanur village on the outskirts of Trichy.
Caught red-handed, they could not advance any explanation in their defence, since two of them had already served in the government.
"It is a strong case in a long time and conviction could be possible under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 so that it would serve as a deterrent to other poachers," district forest officer I Anvardeen told TOI. The offence carries a punishment of three to a maximum of seven years' imprisonment.
Trichy division has only 9% of reserved forest and poaching of these animals that easily stray outside the protected areas goes unabated and unreported. Anvardeen said the carcasses would be buried in a safer, undisclosed area.
