Foresters arrest two notorious poachers

ERODE: Forest officials in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on Wednesday arrested two people in connection with various poaching incidents in the region. According to forest officials, the accused were experts in poaching animals, especially elephants and several cases were pending against them.
The accused are C Bomman, 42, and A Kumara Nayaka, 48, of Mookanpalayam village in STR. "The two accused are notorious offenders known for poisoning animals and elephant poaching.They were absconding for many months and intelligence reports were collected regarding their movements in Kerala and Tamil Nadu," said C H Padma, district forest officer and deputy director of Hasanur division of STR.
Kumara Nayake was known for hunting wild animals by poisoning water holes and was a key accused in killing of a tiger in Talawady in February this year. "He used to roam along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. He was also involved in trading of wildlife goods," she said.
The other accused, Bomman is also wanted in several cases related to poaching in Sathyamangalam-Chamrajnagar forest region. "Many cases of elephant poaching, tusk trading, wildlife poisoning and trading were registered against him and he was on the run," she said.
Both the accused have cases pending against them with Kollegal forest division, BRT Tiger Reserve, MM hills forest division in Karnataka. "In STR, cases have been pending against the duo in Talawady, Hasanur, T N Palayam, Bhavanisagar and Thalaimalai reserve forests, Padma said.
Forest officials got a tip-off that the duo reached their village to participate in a local festival. "We formed a special team and arrested them on Wednesday morning. Later we remanded them in judicial custody after producing them before the judicial magistrate of Sathyamangalam sub-court," Padma said.