Endangered turtles poached, eaten in Nellai, 3 held

The team, which was on an anti-poaching drive as per the directive of Kommu Ohmkaram, Deputy Director, KMTR, Ambasamudram, caught the trio red-handed while they were consuming turtle meat in Dharmapurammadam.

The fresh keeled turtle is an endangered species, protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The accused held were identified as K Ganeshan (44) and his friends S Babu (38) and S Jeyakumar (30).

Sources said the team were instructed to monitor the activities of Ganeshan, the key accused, who in the past was charged with illegal collection of wild honey. A habitual offender, he was absconding for almost seven years. He was also accused of collecting wild honey weighing around 18 litres within a period of seven days.

When contacted, C Nellai Nayagam, Kadayam Range Officer, said the trio were fined Rs 10,000 each. The person who bought the honey from the accused was also punished with a fine.

Efforts are being taken to inform the public that poaching of wild species such as rabbit, monitor lizard, jackal and ant eater was an illegal act and those found guilty of violating the law would face a penalty either under the Forest Act or the Wildlife Protection Act, he said.