Tamil Nadu: Man who stopped wild tusker with folded hands fined Rs 10,000

CHENNAI: A man who walked before a wild tusker and gestured to it with folded hands not to come to the road was arrested but let off after being fined 10,000 as 'he was a first-time offender'. The action came after video of the incident on Pennagaram-Hogenakkal road in Dharmapuri district went viral on social media.
Dharmapuri district forest officer (DFO) Kumili Venkata Appala Naidu said K Murugesan, the 52 year-old man of Pennagaram, did it while drunk. In the video, he is seen regulating traffic on the road as the tusker watches from behind.
Naidu said the incident took place on Wednesday and they got the video on Thursday. The man was later taken into custody.
State forest secretary Supriya Sahu tweeted: "This person has been arrested and taken into custody. Well done DFO Dharmapuri. This should serve as a deterrent to others."
Naidu said the offence attracted punishments under Section 21 (penalties for trespass or damage in reserved forests and acts prohibited in such forests) of TN Forest Act 1882; section 2 (16) (a) killing or poisoning of any wild animal or captive animal and every attempt to do so, among other sections.
The incident is a serious offence that could attract one year imprisonment, but since he was a first-time violator and 'mentally unstable,' it was decided to let him off with a penalty, the DFO said. The department also counselled the offender and his family members, he said.
Chennai: A man who walked before a wild tusker and gestured to it with folded hands not to come to the road was arrested but let off after being fined 10,000 as 'he was a first-time offender'. The action came after video of the incident on Pennagaram-Hogenakkal road in Dharmapuri district went viral on social media.
Dharmapuri district forest officer (DFO) Kumili Venkata Appala Naidu said K Murugesan, the 52 year-old man of Pennagaram, did it while drunk. In the video, he is seen regulating traffic on the road as the tusker watches from behind.
Naidu said the incident took place on Wednesday and they got the video on Thursday. The man was later taken into custody.
State forest secretary Supriya Sahu tweeted: "This person has been arrested and taken into custody. Well done DFO Dharmapuri. This should serve as a deterrent to others."
Naidu said the offence attracted punishments under Section 21 (penalties for trespass or damage in reserved forests and acts prohibited in such forests) of TN Forest Act 1882; section 2 (16) (a) killing or poisoning of any wild animal or captive animal and every attempt to do so, among other sections.
The incident is a serious offence that could attract one year imprisonment, but since he was a first-time violator and 'mentally unstable,' it was decided to let him off with a penalty, the DFO said. The department also counselled the offender and his family members, he said.