Forest staff provided with modern weapons and vehicles to enhance protection

Chennai: To strengthen anti-poaching operations and wildlife enforcement across the state, after nearly 25 years, Tamil Nadu forest department has procured 250 modern weapons and 54 field vehicles, which were handed over to staff at an event in Children’s Park on Wednesday.The weapons package includes 204 twelve-bore pump action guns fitted with side-folding butts, intended for frontline personnel conducting anti-poaching patrols, night surveillance and human-wildlife conflict response. The remaining 46 are 9mm automatic pistols equipped with CES equipment, earmarked for officers involved in enforcement, search operations and emergency response duties. The pistol has a 13-round detachable magazine, an effective range of up to 50m.

It weighs about 1kg unloaded, and is designed for self-defence and operational duties, said an official.A senior official said the department’s frontline staff routinely operate in remote and high-risk terrain, often without immediate backup, making the upgrade necessary for both operational effectiveness and personnel safety.Separately, 54 Mahindra Bolero vehicles have been deployed across forest divisions under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-assisted Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Greening Project Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR) project at a cost of ₹3.91 crore. The vehicles are assigned primarily to range officers and field staff to improve mobility in areas with limited access. Officials said the vehicles will be used for routine patrolling, forest fire response, anti-poaching drives, habitat monitoring and coordination with local communities, with the added benefit of faster emergency response times.