Deer meat, skins and a country gun seized from arrested member

A forest team of the Erode Division busted a poacher gang and seized deer meat, body parts and country guns deep inside the Bargurforestson Saturday.

The seven accused, including the arrested member Nagaraj (37), belong to the Mettur taluk of neighbouring Salem district.

About 70 kg of dried meat of three sambar deer, two skins, a hare skin, 12 legs of deer and a country gun were in possession of Nagaraj of Govindapadi. Nagaraj was remanded in judicial custody in the court of Judicial Magistrate, Bhavani.

On the instructions of the District Forest Officer, Erode Division, Nagaraj, a team consisting of Assistant Conservator of Forest (Training) Praba, Ranger Bala;krishnan, Forester Dhanaksekar and and other personnel intercepted the gangwhile on patrol to eliminate scope for forest fires at Bodhamalai North Beat in Thattakarai section of North Bargur Reserve Forest.

The other gang members – Vakeel alias Veeran and Gopal of Cauvery Puram; Selvamani, and Sakthivel of Karaikadu; Panangottaiyan of Kathiripatty; and Settu of Vellalapatti escaped. Gopal escaped with a country gun, Forest Department sources said, adding that all the accused, who appeared to be first-time offenders, will be nabbed soon.

70 kg meat, skins and country gun seized