Nagpur/Chandrapur:In a major action, Forest Department officials arrested 11 poachers and seized 60 kg of wild boar meet, huge stock of chital antlers and other material from their possession. The action was taken in Ashtabhuja area of Chandrapur on Monday afternoon.
According to sources, the Forest Department officials received information that the poachers arrived at Shivaji Nagar Square, Ramai Nagar in Ashtabhuja area for selling wild boar meat. Acting on the inputs, Chandrapur Forest Range Officer Santosh Thipe and his team rushed to the spot. They rounded up the eleven accused poachers namely Ganesh Jogeshwar Sikander (40), Amar Shrinath Mandal (30), Yashodhar Shrikant Padai (54), Satyajit Pulit Mandal (40), Shyamal Visheshwar Rai (35), Krushna Vishwadeo Vishwas (49), Pocham Bakai Golchalwar (55), Chhotelal Ramsajivan Mahto (48), Mahakali Rajpille Dongre (48), Robin Ranjit Rai (29) and Vidhan Vaidyanath Sarkar (46), all residents of Ashtabhuja, Chandrapur.
All the 11 arrested accused were booked under sections 2, 9, 39, 44 of Wildlife Protection Act. The accused poachers had spread out nylon nets with loops to ensnare the deer and wild boar. The gang members indulged in wildlife poaching activity in recent past. They were adept in the poaching of wild boar and deer species, sources said. The Forest Department has intensified vigil on poaching activity with formation of anti-poaching squads to keep a close watch.