Coimbatore

Singara Ranger S Selvaraj said that their team comprising foresters, guards and anti-poaching watchers was on night patrolling in Singara reserve forest when they spotted a jeep speeding away. 

“After an intensive chase for close to half an hour their four-wheeler got stuck in a small drain outside the reserve forest. Abandoning the vehicle the driver and the two tourists fled. While the tourists could not be traced, the vehicle driver K Mahendran (21) of Masinagudi, and his father R Kanagaraj (48), who owned the vehicle, were secured,” the ranger said. However, he said that it took time to fix them as the vehicle was seized outside the forest. 

Forest officials then traced the vehicle trail from the forest and booked the accused and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on them. This tourism season (April and May) forest personnel have slapped a fine to the tune of a few lakh rupees in five cases of illegal safari in Singara Range.

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