TIRUCHY: Tiruchy forest department personnel on Monday arrested five persons for hunting peacocks and seized a car, a single-barreled country gun and mobile phones.

According to officials, a 5-member gang who were later identified as A Karuppasamy (28), M Thiruppathi (22), S Karthik (25), G Bharathkumar (21) and C Karuppiah (25), all from Ponnamaravathi in Pudukkottai, had reportedly proceeded to a coconut farm at Valanadu near Manapparai in a suspicious manner early Monday.

Soon, they started hunting peacocks on the farm. However, the Valanadu police, who were on their routine patrolling, surrounded them and found that they had already hunted four peafowls, including a chick.

Subsequently, the police secured all five and seized the weapons under their possession and took them to the police station.

Later, they were handed over to the Manapparai forest officials, who produced them before the Manapparai court, and they were lodged in the central prison, Tiruchy, under judicial custody. Further investigations are on.