Coimbatore : After two years of having been stolen, a pair of tusks eluding the Coimbatore Forest Department was finally retrieved from a well in Kochi, following enmity within the gang that was involved in the illegal tusk trade.
Coimbatore : After two years of having been stolen, a pair of tusks eluding the Coimbatore Forest Department was finally retrieved from a well in Kochi, following enmity within the gang that was involved in the illegal tusk trade.
All six men in connection with the case have been detained by the foresters and are currently lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison for illegal tusk trade. The tusks that were taken to Kochi were initially from a dead elephant, from Tholampalayam East of Periyanaickenpalayam Range in Coimbatore, in 2017. One of the accused, R Karthick Kumar (33), a resident of Kunjurpathi tribal settlement who initially spotted the dead elephant informed M Easwaran (28) from Perukkupathi tribal settlement.
The duo had then reportedly lifted the tusks from the carcass and informed M Veerabathiran (20) from Kunjurpathi settlement after hiding the tusks inside the forest. The three men later approached N Maan aka Dhamodhiran (30) from Govanur to sell the tusks.
On the side, Easwaran had also approached V Thangaraj (34) from Pillur Dam Korapathi settlement and C Mohan Raj (46) from Mangalakariputhur who work in Kerala to help them sell the tusks. Easwaran had also shifted the tusks to a different location near Seeliyur tribal settlement, according to Thangaraj and Mohan Raj.
Thangaraj, who attempted to bypass the others had reportedly stolen the tusks from the hiding place and fled to Kerala to sell it. This had reportedly caused strife in the gang and Maan attacked Easwaran and Veerabathiran asking for his share since the tusks were missing. The commotion within the gang members spread to nearby settlements and soon reached the ears of the Coimbatore foresters who picked up Karthik Kumar and Veerabathiran for enquiry on October 14. Then men were later remanded in judicial custody on October 26.
Enquiries held with the two apprehended men led the officials to other members of the gang, including Maan who was already in prison in connection with an illegal liquor sale case. Maan was booked for the tusks' case and remanded again on October 26.
The third accused Easwaran who had absconded and was being searched for by foresters surrendered before the Madukkarai Magistrate, on Friday. Investigations further led the team to Mohan Raj who confessed that Thangaraj who stole the tusks was in Kerala.
A special team travelled to Kochi to arrest Thangaraj on Monday and retrieved the tusks from a well. The tusks that were retrieved from Thangaraj weighed 5 kg and were 2 m in length each. Thangaraj was remanded in judicial custody, on Tuesday.
All six men in connection with the case have been detained by the foresters and are currently lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison for illegal tusk trade. The tusks that were taken to Kochi were initially from a dead elephant, from Tholampalayam East of Periyanaickenpalayam Range in Coimbatore, in 2017. One of the accused, R Karthick Kumar (33), a resident of Kunjurpathi tribal settlement who initially spotted the dead elephant informed M Easwaran (28) from Perukkupathi tribal settlement.
The duo had then reportedly lifted the tusks from the carcass and informed M Veerabathiran (20) from Kunjurpathi settlement after hiding the tusks inside the forest. The three men later approached N Maan aka Dhamodhiran (30) from Govanur to sell the tusks.
On the side, Easwaran had also approached V Thangaraj (34) from Pillur Dam Korapathi settlement and C Mohan Raj (46) from Mangalakariputhur who work in Kerala to help them sell the tusks. Easwaran had also shifted the tusks to a different location near Seeliyur tribal settlement, according to Thangaraj and Mohan Raj.
Thangaraj, who attempted to bypass the others had reportedly stolen the tusks from the hiding place and fled to Kerala to sell it. This had reportedly caused strife in the gang and Maan attacked Easwaran and Veerabathiran asking for his share since the tusks were missing. The commotion within the gang members spread to nearby settlements and soon reached the ears of the Coimbatore foresters who picked up Karthik Kumar and Veerabathiran for enquiry on October 14. Then men were later remanded in judicial custody on October 26.
Enquiries held with the two apprehended men led the officials to other members of the gang, including Maan who was already in prison in connection with an illegal liquor sale case. Maan was booked for the tusks' case and remanded again on October 26.
The third accused Easwaran who had absconded and was being searched for by foresters surrendered before the Madukkarai Magistrate, on Friday. Investigations further led the team to Mohan Raj who confessed that Thangaraj who stole the tusks was in Kerala.
A special team travelled to Kochi to arrest Thangaraj on Monday and retrieved the tusks from a well. The tusks that were retrieved from Thangaraj weighed 5 kg and were 2 m in length each. Thangaraj was remanded in judicial custody, on Tuesday.