CHANDRAPUR: Investigations have revealed that the two poachers who were arrested in Junona forest on Sunday had killed a deer there a few days ago. The duo, now in forest custody, led the investigating team to the poaching spot on Monday.
RFO, Ballarpur range, DB Wadettiwar claimed that the accused, Santoshsingh Tak and Ramesh Budkawar, have confessed that they had shot dead a deer in the adjoining FDCM Junona range on February 5. One of their accomplices was apprehended on Monday, he added.
Ballarpur range forest officials had arrested Tak and Budkawar and seized a gun and other poaching equipment from them on wee hours on Sunday. The duo, while fleeing on their bike, had hit a sambar, killing the animal. However, their accomplices had managed to flee during the raid.
Sources claimed that Budkawar runs a chicken shop in Babupeth locality of city and used to take orders from select customers for providing meat of wild herbivores. Tak is the key hunter and leader of the gang which used to poach herbivores in the forests around the city and supplied meat to Budkawar.
