Peafowls totalling around 50 were found dead at a farm land at Kuruvikulam village in Thiruvengadam taluk of Tenkasi district on Saturday, after consuming pesticide infused maize grains scattered in the land. A farmer from Meenakshipuram village has been arrested in relation to the case.
According to an official from the forest department, information about the incident was received on Saturday morning. When they reached the agricultural land which has plantations such as bananas, maize and other crops, they found dead peacocks, peahens and juvenile birds across various portions of the land. The arrested farmer has been identified as K. Johnson, 49.
“He had mixed the grains with pesticides and rodenticide and scattered them across the land. The peafowls had consumed the grains, and this was confirmed in the post mortem report,” the official said.
The official further added that however Mr. Johnson in his statement noted that he had scattered the pesticide and rodenticide infused maize grains to control rats in the farmland.
The forest department officials have arrested Johnson and further investigations are underway.
