The discovery of a deer, found in a car, that was reportedly hunted has given rise to suspicions that an organised racket, involved in the poaching of wild animals and selling their meat, is active in the region.

A car heading towards Shiralakoppa fell into a gorge near Chikkaidagodu in Sorab taluk in the district on April 10.

The passengers, allegedly, brandished a revolver and other weapons at the villagers who rushed to help them and then fled the scene.

The residents informed the Anavatti police, who found weapons and a hunted deer inside the vehicle.

It is suspected that the deer was hunted within the limits of the Anavatti State forest.

Based on documents, regarding the vehicle’s registration, the Forest and Police departments have launched a manhunt to nab those involved in the hunting. According to sources, the vehicle belongs to a businessman from Shiralakoppa town.

Srinivas, an environmental activist from Anavatti village, told The Hindu that, an organised racket involved in poaching of wild animals was active in the region.

Owing to drought, the water sources have dried up in the limits of forest forcing the wild animals to stray to plantations on the fringe of forest in search of drinking water making them vulnerable for poaching, he added.