Five persons, who were found to be in possession of meat of spotted deer during a check in Bhavani Sagar Range were fined Rs. 15,000 each by the Forest Department on Sunday.
The group consisting of Soundararajan (27), Kumar (29), Karuppusamy (37), Mayilsamy (21) and Vijayan (26) were intercepted by a Forest team based on a tip off at Vilamundi diversion.
They had reportedly admitted consuming the meat of the deer they had trapped.
District Forest Officer of Sathyamangalam Division Arunlal compounded the offence and imposed the fine.