GANGTOK, Nov. 12: Four persons were arrested by officials of wildlife department of Sikkim last night on charges of poaching a barking deer from the reserved forest of Rolay in South Sikkim’s Melli sub-division.

While three accused ~ Narbu Sherpa, Karna Bahadur Biswarkarma and Krishna Bahadur Chettri ~ were picked from Rolay, the fourth one, Phu Chung Bhutia, was arrested from his house at Rangpo around 8 pm last night.

Mr Suraj Thatal, DFO (wildlife), South Sikkim, said the wildlife department had received complaint that a barking deer had been poached from the reserved forest of Rolay on 5 November. Based on the preliminary investigations, three persons from a farm near the Rolay reserved forest were arrested yesterday on charges of poaching a barking deer. After interrogating the trio, the forest officials arrested the fourth member of the gang, Phu Chung Bhutia.

All the four persons had been arrested under section 9(2), 49 B (b), 51 (1) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, said Mr Thatal. The case is under investigation and senior wildlife officers, including Mr Hari Pradhan, conservator of forests (wildlife), are at Melli supervising the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Phu Chung Bhutia, who complained of illness after his arrest, has been referred to the STNM hospital here. The rest will be produced in the Namchi court tomorrow, officials said.

Bhutia, who is undergoing treatment at the STNM hospital, said he was innocent. The farm near the Rolay reserved forest from where the three accused persons were picked up belonged to him.