MUMBAI: A gang of armed poachers hunting for wild boar in the Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary in Vasai have been arrested.
Those arrested are tribals from Palghar district. There is a rise in poaching of wild boar for meat ahead of New Year, said forest officials.
Forest officials had a tip-off that poachers would lay a trap near the waterhole in the forest where the animals come to drink water on Monday night. A trap was laid. As the gang of poachers arrived, the forest guards raided the place. Seven men were nabbed while around 12 managed to flee into the jungle.
Iron nails, sickles and two rifles were seized from the men who hail from Vikramgad and Jawhar talukas. Forest officials said that while they were waiting to trap wild boar for meat they would not have spared other wild animals too.
The men have been remanded to forest department custody for further questioning. Wild boar is listed in the Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Forest officials said that the tribals hunt wild boars for meat, which is both consumed and sold in the coming days.
