Officials suspended for failing to prevent elephant electrocution

COIMBATORE: Conservator of Forests, Salem Circle A Periasamy on Friday placed four staff including a forest ranger under suspension for failing to prevent a farmer from erecting an illegal electric fence which claimed the life of a wild tusker in Salem on July 24.

A wild tusker, aged around 35, died of electrocution after it came into contact with an illegal electric fence in Kolathur panchayat on the border of the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka forest area. The forest department arrested farm owner Pushpanathan in connection with the offence.

Meanwhile, the Conservator of Forests, Salem Circle A Periasamy suspended Mettur Forest Ranger Arivalagan, forester Ragunathan, and forest guards Badran and Sakthivel for not patrolling the area to identify and prevent the erection of the illegal electric fence.

Tiger spotted in residential area

Meanwhile, in the Nilgiris, the forest personnel are on their toes after a tiger was spotted near a residential neighbourhood on Ooty-Gudalur Road. On receiving information from people, the forest department noticed a half-consumed carcass of a buffalo was found in Hindustan Photo Films (HPF) locality a few days ago. Some of the villagers had again spotted the tiger in the nearby forest area. As the presence of a tiger was established, the forest department increased vigil.

Estate worker hurt in gaur attack

In another wildlife-related incident in Valparai, an estate labourer was injured after he was attacked by an Indian gaur on Friday morning.

At around 9.30 am, Manikandan, 33 was spraying pesticide for tea plantations at Pannimedu, when a gaur lying in the bush suddenly charged at him ferociously. He was rushed to an estate hospital and from there to a private hospital in Coimbatore with serious injuries.