Elderly couple arrested for killing 57 squirrels in Guj

BANASKANTHA: An elderly couple has been arrested for allegedly killing as many as 57 squirrels in the municipal garden of district headquarter Himmatnagar, police said.

Physically disabled Ram Mallaiya (60) and his wife Kallaiya, who hail from Andhra Pradesh were caught by garden dwellers and handed over to the cops yesterday, they said.

According to police, the duo had sprinkled some chemical on trees in the municipal garden following which the squirrels gathered around the trees and allegedly died after consuming it.

Mallaiya was caught when he was collecting dead squirrels and putting them in his bag, police said.

In his statement to the police, Mallaiya claimed that he was advised by a doctor to eat squirrels to improve health condition, they said.

Police inspector P D Patel said that the couple have been handed over to the forest officials for further investigations.

The duo have been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and further probe was on in the case, district forest officials said.