Forest Guard Arrested for Keeping Deer for Slaughter; Animal Rescued
The guard identified as Ponnappa attached to Hunsur Wildlife range and the raiding team of Mobile Squad recovered a gun from his house, leading to suspicion that he might have been involved in poaching if herbivore wild animals. The recovered gun is said to belong to Kumar.
Bengaluru: A forest guard has been arrested by Mobile Squad attached to Forest department after he was found in possession of a deer at a shed at Kuduvepura a village on the periphery of Nagarhole National Park, a tiger reserve in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district on Monday. The deer rescued from Ponnappa has been shifted to Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru.
The guard identified as Ponnappa attached to Hunsur Wildlife range and the raiding team of Mobile Squad recovered a gun from his house, leading to suspicion that he might have been involved in poaching if herbivore wild animals. The recovered gun is said to belong to Kumar.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle alleging Ponnappa was in possession of two deers at his shed. One of them was allegedly culled to feast on it while he waited for another to grow in size to be culled at an appropriate time to feast on its meat but before he could take to it's killing, he was caught.
However accused Ponnappa claimed to the Mobile Squad officials that he took care of the deer which he found in an injured state about 3 months back.
Nagarhole National Park Director Seema confirmed the arrest of Ponnappa and investigations are on to verify allegations against accused Ponnappa.
Sources added Ponnappa and his associates took to poaching on the borders after dusk. The meat from poached deer was sold to customers charging Rs 1,200 a kilo and his alleged poaching activities were being watched by officials concerned they conducted a raid on his shed to discover a deer in his custody.
