Police in Indonesia shoot dead three elephant poachers

AFP, August, 2005

JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesian police have shot dead three elephant poachers who resisted arrested after they were caught in a protected forest reserve on Sumatra island.

"Acting on reports from residents, a police team was sent to the Mahoto protected forest on Tuesday and they found four poachers on the following day," said Second Sergeant Arnoldi from the Riau province town of Pasir Pengaraian.

Police raided a hut in which the four were based, but they resisted arrest and three of them were shot dead in an ensuing struggle, Arnoldi told AFP.

The other poacher was mobbed by villagers who had come with the police, but was rescued and was not in a critical condition, he said.

Two of the policemen were wounded by machete in the tussle, he said.

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