Three booked for poaching spotted deer

Four others are still at large

Forest department officials in Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district have booked three persons under Wildlife Act, for poaching a spotted deer, on Saturday.

The accused — Kandela Sampath, Pulyala Poshaiah and Vankdoth Mangu Naik from Ethnaram village of Mahamutharam mandal — were arrested and sent for remand. Four others mentioned in the Preliminary Offence Report are at large.

A team headed by Forest Range Officer of Pegadapally Range (Mahadevpur division) Sushma Rao conducted a raid and seized meat and body parts of a spotted deer and binding wire weighing 25 kg, from the houses of the accused.

Additionally, wire running a length of 660 meters, along with deer skin, was confiscated from the site of the offence inside the reserve forest.

Ms. Sushma Rao said the accused used the wire to draw power from the electrical lines above and left it hanging from a height so that the passing wild animal could come into contact with it and be electrocuted. This case has raised special concerns as tiger movements were recently noticed in some parts of the district, officials said.

Main accused Sampath was booked in two more cases earlier.

Following the arrest, villagers in large numbers arrived at the range office and laid siege to the premises, refusing to allow the accused to be presented before the judge, Ms. Sushma Rao said, adding that wildlife poaching is rampant in these parts of the district, adding efforts are on to press charges under PD act against the offenders.