6 held for killing a pregnant buffalo for its meat in Kerala

The State forest department of Kerala has arrested five more persons on Tuesday for allegedly killing a pregnant wild buffalo in Malappuram.

According to the media report, the first arrest in the case was made on August 10.

According to officials, the wild buffalo is said to have been hunted and killed at Puncha Forest in Chakkikuzhi forest station, which comes under Kalikavu range.

The forest officers also seized about 25 kilograms of buffalo meat from the house of one of the accused during a raid conducted late at night on August 10.

“At the time, we did not know what wild animal it was. We assumed it was of a deer. However, during the course of the investigation, we found that it was the meat of a wild buffalo. Based on the statement of the accused and bones we recovered from the site, we also learnt that the buffalo was pregnant when it was killed,” said P Suresh, the range officer of Kalikavu Range of Nilambur South Forest Division.

The incident comes months after the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Palakkad district that led to massive outrage across the country.