KRISHNAGIRI: The sudden death of a suspected 53-year-old poacher, K Perumal of Vannathipatti village near Anchetti of Denkannikottai taluk in Krishnagiri district, might have been passed over in silence had a Kangaroo court succeeded in extorting a hefty sum from his kin to hush up a forest crime.
Police said Perumal’s relatives had planned to quietly cremate his body and accordingly took his body on Sunday to Denkannikottai government hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. But the duty doctor suspecting foul play, kept the body in the mortuary, as it apparently reached after many hours of delay. On information police rushed there and on examining the body found that the deceased most probably died in a ‘misfire’ while handling his weapon or triggered by his associates who went with him to poach wild animals.
“We came to such a conclusion because of the injuries found on his body. The injuries looked as if they were caused by small iron balls fired from a country-made rifle, killing the victim,” a police officer told reporters. He added, “On Saturday night Perumal and two others entered the Udubarani reserved forest in Urigam range for poaching. He could have died in a misfire, either because of his fault or of the others with him. His associates transported Perumal’s body to his village.”
Police said the delay in taking the body to the hospital was allegedly due to some people holding a kangaroo court in their village, demanding a hefty amount for keeping mum about the crime. As the kangaroo court could not settle the issue, Perumal’s body was later taken by his kin to the government hospital, sources said.
