Leopard snared to death in Kotagiri, two arrested
The carcass of the animal was found in a private farm owned by K Thangaraj (62), at Naragiri village in the Kattabettu forest area.
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COIMBATORE: The Gudalur forest department arrested two persons on charges of snaring a leopard to death in a farmland at Kattabettu forest range in Kotagiri on July 13.
The carcass of the animal was found in a private farm owned by K Thangaraj (62), at Naragiri village in the Kattabettu forest area. An examination by forest officials revealed that the female leopard was four years of age.
After a post-mortem, the carcass was set on fire as per protocol. A case was registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and a probe was initiated to trace out the culprits.
More than two weeks after the incident, the forest department nabbed Allen and Thangaraj, both hailing from Naragiri village, in connection with the offence.
They claimed to have laid a snare to poach wild boar; however, a leopard got trapped, resulting in its death. The duo were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody to be lodged in Coonoor sub-jail.
