Two arrested for killing black buck in Indapur
Two men were arrested for killing a black buck alias chinkara by the Pune unit of the state forest department on Tuesday at 10pm in the forest area in the border dividing Kalas and Kazad villages of Indapur taluka in Pune
Two men were arrested for killing a black buck alias chinkara by the Pune unit of the state forest department on Tuesday at 10pm in the forest area in the border dividing Kalas and Kazad villages of Indapur taluka in Pune.
Chinkara which is often known as the Indian Gazelle (Gazella Bannetti) within the forest space in Indapur is protected under the Wildlife Safety Act of 1972.
The two arrested were identified as Mahesh Janglu Mane (40), a resident of Sansar area of Indapur and Dattaray Popat Pawar (42), a resident of Bori area of Indapur, according to forest department officials.
The forest department found a blood-soaked dead black buck stuffed inside a gunny bag, nine-bore rifle, one used cartridge and six live cartridges from the two.
The two were travelling on a Bajaj Unicorn registered in Baramati.
“They are in forest custody until May 24. We will be investigating what their intention was but prime facie it appears that they meant to eat it. The license of the rifle is a matter of investigation,” said Rahul Patil, district forest officer, Pune.
The team of forest officials on night patrol included Ashutosh Shendge, Rahul Kale, Ashok Narute, Pooja Kate.
“This action will bring this peculiar kind of poaching in check, and it will send a strong message amongst the poacher community. The citizens are appealed to approach the forest department immediately in case they find poachers engaged in illegal hunting in the forest area,” Patil said.
A case under Sections 26(1)(d)(1) of Indian Forest Act, 1926 and Sections 2(16), 9, 11 and 51 of Wildlife(Protection) Act, 1972 was registered by the forest department officials.
The India forest Act 1926, Section 26, states that the forest officer may evict from a reserved forest or from any land in a reserved forest, any person who, in such forest, trespasses or pastures cattle, or permits cattle to trespass, or clears or breaks up such land for cultivation or for any other purpose and may demolish any building erected or construction. The act also empowers the forest officials to arrest the hunters engaged in poaching protected species of wild animals.