NAGPUR: Two persons, including a woman belonging to Pardhi community, a hunting tribe, were caught red-handed while cooking meat of deer killed in protected forest area of Kondhali, 5km from Bor Wildlife Sanctuary.
Acting on a tip-off, Bor forest guards SN Barse and VN Shende with a couple of van majoors raided hutments of Pardhis on Sunday midnight in compartment number 88 in protected forest of Kinkidoda beat in Kondhali range under Nagpur division. The 3-4 shanties have come illegally on forest land in the last five years.
The guards arrested four persons Sunil Panchbhai of Dhotiwada, Rajesh Varthi of Masod, Anusayabai Rajput and Chandu Dhoke while cooking deer meat in a shanty. However, when the culprits were being taken to Bor office, Panchbhai and Varthi gave a slip and escaped in the cover of darkness.
The Pardhis in Dhotiwada are engaged in manufacturing and selling country liquor. The accused woman told investigating officials that the deer meat was brought for cooking. However, seizure of incriminating material points out that poaching was done regularly.
Apart from 5kg cooked meat, the staff also seized a deer leg, a big knife, pellets of country-made (Bharmar) gun and 200 gram explosives powder.
Despite poaching becoming a burning issue, lack of seriousness by territorial officials to deal with such cases was once again exposed when RFO VS Umale showed reluctance to register an offence disputing jurisdiction of the crime, though he had sent his staff to Bor.
Talking to TOI, Umale said as main culprits have absconded and place of crime has not yet been identified there is no question of taking over the case. This was despite the fact that crime was committed in his area.
Umale also did not visit the spot till divisional forest officer (vigilance) PD Masram intervened. After Masram's intervention, the case was transferred to Kondhali RFO. The accused will be produced in court on Monday.
