Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 5: The state high court (HC) issued instructions to the government asking it to ensure that there is no let-up in the investigation relating to the mass slaughter of monkeys near Belur in Hassan district.

The division bench of the HC which has registered suo moto case based on newspaper reports about deaths of many monkeys together, having Chief Justice A S Oka and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda as its members, heard the detailed arguments. Government advocate, V Srinidhi, explained the investigation so far undertaken on behalf of the Hassan deputy commissioner. He said that after registering a first information report, the police have arrested seven people in the case. He said that 38 monkeys died while 12 have succeeded in escaping. He also explained that the forest department has formed a special investigation team led by Hassan deputy conservator of forests for this purpose.

Srinidhi stated that as per the post-mortem report, the monkeys died on account of poisoning. Viscera of some monkeys have been collected and sent to the regional forensic science laboratory at Mysuru and its report is awaited, he revealed.

The bench observed that in some laws, there is provision for less punishment and low fines. Therefore, it asked the official and use their discretion about the sections of law under which the accused should be booked. In the current cases, the accused can easily come out on bail. Therefore, steps have to be taken under sections which prescribe minimum of three years jail sentence, the bench said and adjourned the hearing to Friday.