Forest department arrests 12 poachers, seizes equipment worth ₹4.46 lakh

The Maharashtra forest department busted a poaching operation in Satara district, arrested 12 people, and seized poaching material worth ₹4,46,200, on Thursday.

The Maharashtra forest department busted a poaching operation in Satara district, arrested 12 people, and seized poaching material worth ₹4,46,200, on Thursday. Forest officials said a 600-metre long and 300-metre broad snare trap was laid to capture animals near Padli village at a farm adjacent to the reserved forest area.

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“After local villagers spotted the group of poachers setting up the trap, they informed one of our forest rangers. We immediately deployed a team and identified their exact location,” said V Clement Ben, chief conservator of forest, Kolhapur. “Fortunately, no animal was caught within the period they set up the trap and we nabbed them.”

Four motorcycles, one four-wheeler, 10 snares made using a combination of nylon ropes and wire meshes, and 10 wooden logs were seized and two dogs were taken into the forest department’s custody. “The poachers had trained the dogs to assist them in catching animals. The minute a wild boar, deer, hare etc. entered the farm, the dogs would chase them to a corner and the snare or wire mesh would snap around the animal’s leg,” said Vishwas Bhadale, assistant conservator of forest (Satara), one of the officers who led the operation.

“The trap was laid in such a manner that even a leopard could have been caught in the wire snare,” he added.

Forest officials said all arrested accused belonged to nearby villages, mainly Karal. “Based on our investigation, we found that some of the accused were past offenders. Their intent was to catch a wild boar for bush meat, and sell it nearby areas for quick money,” said Bhadale.

The accused were presented before a district court on Friday. According to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, any hunting attempt is a punishable offence for at least three years or a fine of up to ₹25,000 or both. “However, all 12 accused were granted bail considering they had not managed to complete the poaching operation and to decongest the local jail due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They were let out on the condition that they report to the range forest office once a week for further investigations,” said Bhadale.

Maharashtra has witnessed a surge in wildlife crimes in June with 19 people arrested between June 1 and 11 in a multi-district illegal wildlife trade racket busted by the forest department.