Erode farmer guns down man trying to steal sandalwood tree
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:39 pm
Erode farmer guns down man trying to steal sandalwood tree
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Coimbatore: A sandalwood smuggler, who was shot by a 60-year-old farmer at Rayapalayam in Erode district late on Saturday night, died of the bullet injuries on Sunday morning, the police said.
The deceased was identified as R Senthil alias Duraiswamy (30), who hails from Salem. The police said the incident occurred when Senthil, along with two of his accomplices, was trying to cut down a sandalwood tree on the land owned by K Ramasamy, a farmer. Ramasamy opened fire on the suspects and Senthil suffered bullet injuries on his chest and right thigh, while the other two managed to escape. Admitted to the government hospital in Erode, the smuggler breathed his last at 9.30am on Sunday.
According to the police, Ramasamy was growing two sandalwood trees in his garden at Rayapalayam with the permission of the forest department. During last year’s Vinayaka Chathurthi celebrations, one of the trees was felled and smuggled away by the local sandalwood mafia.
To protect the remaining tree, he erected a fence around it and set up a warning alarm.
Ramasamy started firing with his double-barrelled gun as soon as the alarm started ringing on Saturday night. The police have now intensified the search for the two accomplices of Senthil, who escaped from the scene. Ramasamy was arrested and sent to judicial custody, the police said.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/sk ... 6798912031
This link will lead to the opening page of TOI Chennai edition. From here go to Page 6
The sad part here now is the farmer was arrested. Is the law different for different states?
According to a Tamil daily, the smugglers tried to attack the farmer, which is why he fired at them.
Ebenezer
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Coimbatore: A sandalwood smuggler, who was shot by a 60-year-old farmer at Rayapalayam in Erode district late on Saturday night, died of the bullet injuries on Sunday morning, the police said.
The deceased was identified as R Senthil alias Duraiswamy (30), who hails from Salem. The police said the incident occurred when Senthil, along with two of his accomplices, was trying to cut down a sandalwood tree on the land owned by K Ramasamy, a farmer. Ramasamy opened fire on the suspects and Senthil suffered bullet injuries on his chest and right thigh, while the other two managed to escape. Admitted to the government hospital in Erode, the smuggler breathed his last at 9.30am on Sunday.
According to the police, Ramasamy was growing two sandalwood trees in his garden at Rayapalayam with the permission of the forest department. During last year’s Vinayaka Chathurthi celebrations, one of the trees was felled and smuggled away by the local sandalwood mafia.
To protect the remaining tree, he erected a fence around it and set up a warning alarm.
Ramasamy started firing with his double-barrelled gun as soon as the alarm started ringing on Saturday night. The police have now intensified the search for the two accomplices of Senthil, who escaped from the scene. Ramasamy was arrested and sent to judicial custody, the police said.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/sk ... 6798912031
This link will lead to the opening page of TOI Chennai edition. From here go to Page 6
The sad part here now is the farmer was arrested. Is the law different for different states?
According to a Tamil daily, the smugglers tried to attack the farmer, which is why he fired at them.
Ebenezer