Uppinangady forest officials uncovered the illegal slaughter of a large gaur by four hunters, who had processed the meat into jerky. Acting on a tip-off, authorities raided a farm bordering the reserve forest in Boodujaalu, Nidle village, where the gaur had been shot on October 11.
The hunters, from Shibaje and Shiradi, ambushed the gaur, which often roamed near farms. After wounding it on the night of October 10, they tracked and killed it the next day. The animal was butchered in the forest, transported to the home of one of the accused, Raju, and dried into meat.
The dried meat, intended for sale in Kerala at Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 per kilogram, was discovered by a team led by zonal forest officer Raghavendra. The suspects remain at large, and the investigation continues.
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