Five arrested for attempt to poach wild game in the Nilgiris

Five suspected poachers from Kerala and Gudalur were detained by the Nilgiris district police during a vehicle check, after they were found carrying weapons to hunt wild game on Tuesday evening. Following their detention, the men were handed over to the Forest Department, who arrested and remanded them to judicial custody on Wednesday.

The five men were identified as Y. Ahmed, 40, from Gudalur, A. Ali, 58, from Nilambur, K. Nawaz Sheriff, 31, N. Arishmon, 22, and Shahil Khan,23, all from Nilambur in Kerala. In a press release, the Forest Department said the men were in a car proceeding towards Ithalar when they were stopped by the police near Muthorai Palada near Udhagamandalam.

A country-made rifle, machetes, skinning knives, torches and mobile phones were seized from the suspects. Forest Department officials believe that the men were in the Nilgiris to poach wild game.

N. Sadiq Ali, founder of the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust, said it was concerning that a number of poaching gangs had been arrested crossing into the Nilgiris from neighbouring Kerala to hunt wild game. “This shows the need for tightening border check posts, as these arrests seem to represent only a small fraction of the total number of hunting and poaching gangs that could potentially be operating in the district,” he said.

Published - October 10, 2024 05:47 pm IST