The Forest department on Friday booked three persons under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 a day after mindless tree-felling for national highway (NH) development claimed the lives of scores of cormorants and hatchlings in Malappuram.
The residents of V.K. Padi in Tirurangadi stood witness to heart wrenching scenes of birds crushed under a tamarind tree that was cut using an earthmover on Thursday.
All cormorant species are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Several herons and unhatched eggs were also among the casualties, official sources said.