Chennai, Mar 8 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu forest department is probing the role of a farmer, who is reportedly absconding after the death of a large number of peafowls in Poomangalam village of Madurai.

The farmer, whose name has been withheld by the forest department, is under the lens after 39 peafowls were found dead in his farm and surrounding areas on Monday and Tuesday.

D. Guruswamy , District Forest Officer, Madurai, while speaking to IANS on Wednesday said, "There are no external injuries on these peafowls, we have sent the samples to the lab to find out the cause of death. We have booked the paddy field owner in whose premises a large number of peafowls were found dead."

He said that the forest department is probing the farmer as he was absconding since the peafowls were found dead.

It is to be noted that the Tamil Nadu forest department under its wildlife awareness programme has been conducting awareness among the farmers on the importance of such animals and birds in the environment.

Sources in the forest department told IANS that the department is tracking the farmer who is absconding after finding the carcasses of a large number of peafowl and will be taken into custody soon.