The Forest Department on Monday arrested a banana plantation owner, who was booked in connection with the electrocution of an elephant at Varappalayam village near Coimbatore two months ago.
Officials said that a special team from the Coimbatore Forest Division nabbed M. Manoharan, 57, near a bus stand in Pannimadai around 6.30 a.m. on Monday. He and his son Naresh had absconded after being booked by the Forest Department. The accused had filed anticipatory bail petitions in the district court, all of which were rejected, the officials said, adding that Manoharan had recently returned to Coimbatore from Karnataka.
The male elephant, aged between 12 and 15, was found dead in the banana plantation belonging to Manoharan and Naresh on the morning of February 12. Its trunk was found to be in contact with an iron cable that was erected around the farm for electric fencing and the plantation was around 1 km away from Thadagam north reserve forest area, according to the Forest Department.
Subsequently, the two were booked under Section 9 (Prohibition of hunting) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The special team are undertaking efforts to arrest the accused’s son Naresh and further investigation is on.
