Adilabad: In a first of its kind incident in Telangana, a photograph posted on Facebook by an over enthusiastic man gave a vital clue leading to the arrest of a gang of poachers.
One among them was accused of killing a panther one-and-a-half years ago in the Ryalighadpur forests in Mancherial mandal.
Pasuleti Santosh, 27, of Ryalighadpur village posted his photograph carrying a portion of the skin of the panther on Facebook a few days ago. This came to the notice of forest officials who started an investigation.
Meanwhile, the forest staff come across some youths moving suspiciously in the forests and noticed that one of them had posted his photo on FB.
Pasuleti Santosh was a friend of the prime accused Surala Srinivas, 28, of Gaddaragadi village who installed a live electric wire in the Ryalighadpur forests to kill boars but accidentally a panther was electrocuted.
Santosh took photos of himself with the skin of the panther. Luxettipet forest officials informed the matter to Mancherial police who in turn took Pasuleti Santhosh into custody which led to the arrest of all the accused.
Luxettipet forest officer Anitha and Hazipur beat officer Varapradayani said they got a clue from the FB post.
Undri Suresh, 30, of Rajivnagar in Mancherial town and Undri Ashok, 25, of ACC purchased two nails for '100 each from Surala Srinivas.
The others who supported the prime accused were identified as Gurram Suresh, 26, of Gadderagadi. Rathod Suresh, 23, of Marutinagar of Mancherial and Gunda Arunkumar, 23, of ACC Mancherial.
