THRISSUR: Fa. Devasi Panthallookkaran (65), director of Ramavarmapuram Viyani Bhavan, where retired priests are staying, has been arrested in the case of killing a peacock. He was arrested by Bhasi Bahuleyan, Range Officer of Thrissur Forest Flying Squad.

Nets are placed to prevent birds from entering the Viyani Bhavan area opposite the Viyyoor police station. The priest killed the peacocks trapped in the net this evening with a stick and then covered them. Killing the national bird and a bird protected under the First Schedule of the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972 and keeping its carcasses is an offense.

The priest and the carcasses of the peacocks taken to custody were handed over to Pattikad Forest Station for further investigation of the case. Killing peacocks is a crime punishable by three to five years in prison.