An anti-poaching watcher, Kannan, who was trying to protect a wild elephant, Rivaldo, and prevent it from injuring humans, was killed on Sunday night by a person who was trying to befriend it to attract tourists near the Mudumalai tiger reserve. Kannan had the job of preventing Rivaldo from coming on to the Udhagamandalam-Mudumalai road. When he saw Krishnan, a local, trying to feed Rivaldo, he asked him to leave the place.
When Kannan returned around 6.30 pm to monitor Rivaldo’s movements, Krishnan was still feeding the elephant drawing curious onlookers. What began as exchange of words turned into heated argument, police said. Infuriated, Krishanan assaulted the watcher and dragged him to the nearby river and drowned him, police said.
During a search Kannan was found dead near the Mavanallah river bridge.
The Masinagudi police arrested Krishanan and registered a case against him under sections 302 (Murder) and 353 (preventing a government servant from discharging duty) and remanded him. The victim has just been promoted as watcher and orders were about to be served on him, forest officials said.
When Kannan returned around 6.30 pm to monitor Rivaldo’s movements, Krishnan was still feeding the elephant drawing curious onlookers. What began as exchange of words turned into heated argument, police said. Infuriated, Krishanan assaulted the watcher and dragged him to the nearby river and drowned him, police said.
During a search Kannan was found dead near the Mavanallah river bridge.
The Masinagudi police arrested Krishanan and registered a case against him under sections 302 (Murder) and 353 (preventing a government servant from discharging duty) and remanded him. The victim has just been promoted as watcher and orders were about to be served on him, forest officials said.