‘Kutty’ Veerappan arrested in Tamil Nadu

Bengaluru: Bringing an end to a massive man-hunt which lasted for about a month in the forests of M.M. Hills and Gopinatham, the Tamil Nadu police has arrested Oonjikorai Sharvanan, alias ‘Kutty’ Veerappan wanted for killing of half a dozen tuskers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and  shooting at a forest team.

Threatening to become the new Veerappan, Sharvanan’s poaching spree in the forests of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was cut short when he was nabbed him from his village based on intelligence provided by the Special Tiger Protection Force.

Produced in court on Wednesday , he was granted bail on Wednesday. But soon afterwards a joint team of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka forest officials produced a non-bailable warrant in an elephant poaching case reported early this year in Tamil Nadu and he was sent to judicial custody.

Going by forest department records, Sharvanan is wanted for seven wildlife offences in Karnataka, including three cases of elephant poaching, two cases of tree felling and two cases of shooting at forest staff.