Forest Department officials of Balehonnur Range, with the help of the police, have succeeded in arresting two youths for allegedly hunting a monitor lizard at a coffee estate on New Year’s Eve, on Tuesday night. The accused also allegedly posted their pictures with the animal on social media.
The arrested, Praveen and Saif, both aged 20, are residents of Balehonnur town. Two other accused, Naveen and Appu, are still absconding.
Local residents, who had seen the pictures, informed the senior officials of the Forest Department. Based on the information and the photos available, the officials conducted the operation to arrest the accused. Monitor lizards are listed as an endangered species as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Balehonnur PSI Rajashekhar and RFO G.U. Shankar conducted the operation. The accused were presented before a court in N.R.Pura and remanded in judicial custody.