Mumbai man held with sambar horns worth Rs10 lakh

Santosh Bamne is a resident of Andheri and works as a labourer on a contract basis, said the police

A 31-year-old man from Mumbai was arrested with horns of sambars worth Rs10 lakh at Thane.

A case has been registered with the Vartak Nagar police station. (HT/BACHCHAN KUMAR)

Santosh Bamne is a resident of Andheri and works as a labourer on a contract basis, said the police.

Shivraj Bendre, police sub-inspector from Thane crime branch unit 5, said, “We got information about a man coming to Thane from Mumbai to sell sambar horns on Friday night in a hotel at Vartak Nagar. We laid a trap and searched Bamne as he was carrying a bid bag. We found the animal’s horns in it.”

Bendre added, “We suspect that the accused might have poached the animals. We are questioning him. If he has, then Bamne might have sold the skin and other parts of the animals.”

Honorary wildlife warden for Thane Pawan Sharma said, “After police formalities, the animals’ horns will be handed over to the forest department. We will initiate an inquiry.”

Buying, selling, keeping any wildlife article or trophy is a violation of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which attracts sections like hunting, illegal possession of articles/ trophies which is a punishable offence. It can land the offender in jail for up to seven years with fine or both.

The animals’ horns will be handed over to the forest department