JOIN USSaravanan may be produced before Kollegal court today
Saravanan, an accused in several poaching cases and the prime accused in a tusk trafficking case, may be produced before a court in Kollegal, on Friday.
It can be recalled that Forest department officials, from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, were on the look out for Saravanan, a native of Unjikorai village near Govindapadi. He was arrested at Mettur, in Tamil Nadu, while moving in a suspicious manner. Now, he is lodged in Salem Prison.
Sources said, Saravanan, along with Ravana, a native of Martalli in Kollegal taluk, had formed a gang and was involved in poaching in Malemahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. “They used to dehydrate meat of poached wild animals, inside the forest, before transporting it to be sold in Tamil Nadu,” said sources.
When the Forest department officials intercepted a gang of eight members, who were roaming around in a suspicious manner near the pump house that supplies water to Malemahadeshwara shrine, they were attacked.
Following an exchange of fire, two persons — Govindaraju and Mani — were arrested. Two tusks and a net was recovered from the duo. They had revealed that those who had escaped were Saravanan, Ravana, Thangavelu, Karekadu Saravana, Ponga and Sachivelu.
Body Warrant
Assistant Conservator of Forest K Vasudevamurthy, on Thursday, petitioned the Additional Civil Court to issue a body warrant to take Saravanan, who is now in the Salem prison, as he is named the prime accused in the tusk trafficking case.
The warrant was issued on the same day. So, Saravanan may be produced before the court, before the officials take him into custody for interrogation.
There are several cases against Saravanan with the Malemahadeshwara police station, including unauthorised entry into the wildlife sanctuary, poaching, trafficking of tusks and firing against Forest department personnel. He is also accused of chopping off the fingers of one Manjula, a Soliga tribal woman.