Trio wanted in elephant abuse case still elusive

The Forest Department, who have sought the cooperation of people in the tribal settlement to nab the accused had also stayed put in the area to nab them on their arrival. 

“The village heads have promised to hand them over, if they return to the settlement. We suspect them to be hiding in similar other tribal settlements in nearby forests,” said an official. 

Earlier, the Forest Department moved the court seeking an arrest warrant against the trio out of apprehension that the tribal people may create trouble while taking the accused into custody. Hence, they thought that executing an arrest warrant issued by the court may be a better option. However, the court refused to issue an arrest warrant and directed the Forest Department to proceed with their action. 

The Forest Department had identified three youth P Selvam, 32, T Kalimuthu, 25 and J Arun Kumar, 30, accompanied by others to have harassed the wild elephants. 

“They have done it as an act of mischief and recorded the incident without realising its consequences. So, the Forest Department is now involved in sensitizing the people of the tribal settlement against harassing the wild elephants,” said an official. 

In different video clips, the tribal youth were seen intimating and attacking the elephants with stones and sticks. They managed to escape, every time when the elephant came ferociously charging on them.