Coimbatore
The accused were identified as V Maruthupandi (27), Thambi alias K Raman (50) and V Chinnaan (50) from Thanikandi tribal settlement. The frontline staff of the Forest Department, who were on a routine patrol spotted the skeletal remains of an elephant with its tusks missing at Boluvampatti forest range on October 23. The elephant was found completely decomposed as it had died more than a month ago.
Five special teams were formed to track the culprits and as well to find out the tusks. After a search for five days, the Forest Department staff spotted the pair of tusks hidden in a bush hardly 450 metres from the spot, where the carcass of the elephant was found.
It was also examined and confirmed by a team of experts led by A Sukumar, Coimbatore forest veterinarian that the recovered tusks belong to that of the same elephant.
An official privy to the investigation said that the trio confessed to have taken away the tusks and hid them. They had gone into the forest to collect greens, when they came across the carcass of the elephant with its tusks. The accused were remanded in judicial custody.
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