Two held for hunting monitor lizard in Trichy

TRICHY: Two people were arrested by a forest department team for hunting a monitor lizard near Lalgudi in Trichy.
The arrested have been identified as P Chinrasu, 22, and P Thirumalai, 18, from Punjai Sangendhi village near Lalgudi. They were booked under the sections of the Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972.
The team led by the forest range officer, Trichy, V Gobinath, apprehended the duo, who were travelling on a bike, during a vehicle check on the Lalgudi-Kumulur Road on Tuesday. On searching, the team found that they were in possession of a carcass of a monitor lizard. Preliminary investigation revealed that they poached the animal by laying a trap in an agricultural land.
The team seized 10 traps used for poaching animals, two mobile phones and a bike. The accused were produced before a court, which remanded them in judicial custody. Gobinath also stated that there were incidents of cooked meat of monitor lizard being served in bars.