COIMBATORE: The Ooty police got one day custody of panchayat councillor representing ‘O’ Valley Town on Thursday for gunning down an Indian gaur in the Nilgiris.

The court granted custody to inquire Mandapathil Shaji, the main accused, who supplied a country made gun to the gang led by the civic body member to kill the gaur for its meat. On 19 October last year, an Indian gaur was found shot dead near Kattery dam in Kundha forest range in the Nilgiris, leading the foresters to conduct an inquiry.

It was found that the animal was killed for its meat by a gang from Gudalur. In December last year, three persons were arrested, while four others surrendered in Ooty court on 7 March. Further, Mandapathil Shaji was arrested by a special team of police on 11 March. All the accused persons hail from Dharmagiri in Gudalur region.

Upon taking him into custody, the forest department is conducting an inquiry to unravel his entire network and also to find out if he was involved in any offence in the past.