Suspect dies; Anchetty check post set ablaze
48-year-old alleged poacher nabbed by forest staff in Krishnagiri is suspected to have died of cardiac arrest while in custody.
The burnt down forest check post near Anchetty in Krishnagiri (left); Angry villagers block Anchetty-Hogenakkal Road after the incident
COIMBATORE: Villagers set fire to the forest check post near Anchetty in Krishnagiri after a 48-year-old man, who was caught while proceeding to poach hare died of suspected cardiac arrest on Sunday night.
The deceased, identified as Venkatesh from ‘Attapallam’ village had gone along with two others in a two-wheeler to allegedly poach hare. A team of the forest department personnel, who were on a vehicle check on Anchetty-Hogenakkal Road had signaled the trio to stop, but they tried to speed away and fell off the vehicle.
While two of them managed to run away, the forest personnel caught Venkatesh, who immediately complained of chest pain.
“Shortly then, he fainted on the spot. The 108 staff arrived and examined him to be dead. The body was then sent for a post-mortem at Denkanikottai Government Hospital,” police said. Meanwhile, the relatives of the deceased refuted the claims of the forest department that he was proceeding to poach and said Venkatesh had gone only in search of his missing cattle. Alleging that he died in an attack by the forest department staff, the angry mob of villagers set fire to the check post near Anjetty on Monday.
They also resorted to a roadblock protest resulting in vehicle disruption on the Anchetty-Hogenakkal Road.
The villagers withdrew the protest after Superintendent of Police Saroj Kumar Thakur visited the spot and assured the villagers of action after the investigation. Police were deployed in large numbers to prevent any further untoward incidents.
Thalli MLA T Ramachandran visited the Denkanikottai GH and consoled the family members of the deceased. Meanwhile, a search is on for two others who escaped with a country-made gun. The forest department seized a headlamp, torch and other equipment used for hunting from him. Further inquiry is underway.
