KALPETTA: The forest department has arrested three persons in connection with poaching on February 20, when two animals, a mouse deer and barking deer, were killed at Kuppadi reserve forest on Monday. The poaching came to light when one person was killed when he was fired at by mistake. The arrested persons were Kunhiraman, son of Madhavan, Dileep, son of Kunhiraman, Ratheesh , son of Balan, all natives of Vakeri near Sulthan Bathery.
The incident came to light when a youth Pradeepan, 22, son of Chandran, Karuthank-alayail house, Thenkuzhy, Muthanga was injured and was admitted to a private hospital at Meppadi. Though the gangsters claimed that he was attacked by an elephant, during surgery the doctors retrieved bullets from the wound and informed the police.
It turns out that the alleged poachers came face to face with a furious elephant and in a bid to kill it, the country gun went off, in the direction of Pradeep by mistake. Police had arrested Kunhiraman earlier and handed him over to forest officials. The other two were taken into custody on Sunday. The arrested were produced at court and remanded to judicial custody.
