Coimbatore: Three persons were fined for alleged illegal mining of sand that was dug from the elephant proof trench near Periyanaickenpalayam range in Coimbatore forest division.
According to ranger Suresh, the forest staffs during their routine patrolling on early hours of Thursday has noticed three persons loading sand in a tractor that was dug from the elephant proof trench in east Tholamplayam near the adjoining of Thadagam social forest and Kuzhikadau beat buffer zone in Periyanaickenpalayam range.
The gang has also taken sand from a nearby patta-land belong to one Kanappan.
Seeing the forest staff, the three had made an attempt to escape; but the staff went chasing and caught them red-handed.
They were identified as Moorthy, Kanaga Raj and Naga Raj from Kuzhi Kadau area.
They were before the district forest officer Venkatesan and were fined Rs 10,000 each.
