“We will find at least 30 nilgais at this spot.”
This was part of a conversation, which was recorded in a mobile phone being used by the poachers from Hyderabad, while they were making a video of the area near Pochera Waterfall in Boath mandal on February 21, for hunting wild animals later in the night.
The cell phones seized from the accused, who were subsequently arrested, elude to a definite pattern to poaching in Adilabad, incidentally, the home district of Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna.
The modus operandi, which was revealed through the videos in the cell phones, showed that the Hyderabadi poachers were scouting not only Boath, but the fields between Basar and Mudhole where a large number of black bucks exist. The video also showed a third place assumed to be somewhere in the neighbouring Maharashtra, as spotted deer are available here in the abundance, which was known from the recorded conversation. “First the poachers, who were no less than MO criminals, seemed to be arriving in this district posing as tourists. They recce the areas with the help of a local person, who subsequently serve as a guide for them during the night,” said Adilabad Divisional Forest Officer Sunil S. Hiremath, who is heading the investigation into the poaching incident.
The two major poaching incidents, which came to light in the district within a gap of just four months, had one person each from some nearby village. They were also included as accused in the cases. “We will seek the help of the police department even in gathering intelligence on poaching,” stated Mr. Hiremath as he enlists the steps being contemplated to curb incidence of hunting wild animals in the area. “We have also alerted our people in check posts besides, intensifying night patrolling in areas concerned,” he added.
