Coimbatore: The forest department officials from Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Tuesday arrested two men while furtively trying to sell a pair of a wild elephant’s canine teeth at a private textile shop in Vettaikaranpudur.
T Manian, 42, of Sethumadai, found the skeletal remains and skull of a female elephant inside the reserve forest at Bothamadai beat coming under Boyankadu area in Pollachi forest range three days ago. He took two canine teeth from the skull.
Meanwhile, Mohanraj Mariappan of Odaiyakulam village near Pollachi showed interest in buying the canine teeth from Manian for its ‘medicinal values’.
While Manian was about to hand over the teeth to Mohanraj at a textile shop at Vettaikaranpudur, forest officials caught them red-handed.
Meanwhile, deputy field director of ATR S Arockiaraj Xavier issued a statement on Tuesday stating that disciplinary action has been initiated against the frontline staff who had failed to record the death of the female elephant.
“People who are residing inside the reserve forest should protect the wildlife and forest. They should not allow any intruders inside the reserve forest and they should not sell any valuable things from the reserve forest.”