Kerala Court's Strong Stand on Elephant Poaching

A Kerala court convicted three individuals to three years in jail for illegally hunting an Indian elephant in a reserve forest in 2009. The court emphasized the seriousness of the crime due to the Indian elephant's status as Kerala's state animal, highlighting the need for strong legal action.

In a significant verdict, a Kerala court has sentenced three people to three years in prison for unlawfully hunting an Indian elephant in a reserve forest back in 2009. The decision underscores the state's commitment to conserving its prized wildlife, especially the Indian elephant, which holds the status of Kerala's state animal.

The Kothamangalam Judicial First Class Magistrate, Haridasan E N, found Aji, Shaji, and Babu guilty under section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act for violations committed in the pursuit of collecting tusks. Furthermore, the court imposed an additional one-year sentence under section 27(I)(e)(iv) of the Kerala Forest Act for entry into protected forest lands with intent to hunt.

Fines amounting to Rs 15,000 were levied on each of the convicted individuals, and their sentences will run concurrently. While the case involved seven accused, one passed away during legal proceedings, another remains absconding, and two were acquitted. Thorough investigation revealed the defendants' premeditated plan to hunt the elephant; subsequent arrests and seizures of tusks and weapons led to their conviction.

(With inputs from agencies.)