The team has taken poachers including sharpshooter Mohammed Sameer Ahmed, Meer Najeeb, Mohammed Rizwan, Akhter Ahmmed, Meer Mudasir Ali, Meer Nayar Ali, SayyedAhmmed to custody for three days.

A team of officials including Bhadra Wildlife division ACF Sharanabasappa and Tanigebailu RFO Ullas took the arrested to custody following the court order.

They were taken to an undisclosed location for investigation. “The investigation team is looking for the modern weapons used by the accused and has been kept hidden inside the forest,” said sources to DH.

The prime accused RafeeqAhmmed is still at large even after a week of poaching incident coming to light. He just missed in a police operation near the office of an advocate at Vijayapura on Thursday. However, the investigation team was successful in confiscating the gun hidden by him at Nettichowka forest.

“In fact, he had used most sophisticated gun for poaching sambar deer. He was involved in hunting down several wild animals in the past.

The Police and Forest department are carrying out joint operation to nab the prime accused and are confident of arresting him shortly,” said the sources.

The arrested in poaching sambar deer were involved in poaching of deer, sambar deer, bison, ‘KaduKuri’ Barka and other wild animals and were supplying the meat to Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Chief Wildlife Warden B J Hosamat said, “The case was a serious issue. We have sought the help of the Police department in nabbing the prime accused. The investigation is in progress.”