Six arrested for hunting blackbuck in Bidar forests

Six arrested for hunting blackbuck in Bidar forests The Forest Department has seized two four-wheelers and a rifle applied in the crime.

Key points

• The blackbuck is a protected wild animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and hunting it is punishable under the Act.
• The Forest Department has arrested six individuals in connection with the hunting of a blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in the Bidar Forest Division.
• Three of the accused were given a chase and caught by villagers of Chondi Tanda and Mamadapur Tanda in Bidar taluk and handed over to the police.
• The Forest Department appreciated the villagers of Chondi and Mamadapur tandas for apprehending three of the accused and handing them over to the police.
• They were subsequently handed over to the Forest Department for registration of a case and further legal action.

Forest authorities with the arrested men in Bidar. Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

For context, the Forest Department has arrested six individuals in connection with the hunting of a blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in the Bidar Forest Division. Three of the accused were apprehended with the support of villagers and the other three arrested during a search operation.

Notably, the incident occurred on Monday. Three of the accused were given a chase and caught by villagers of Chondi Tanda and Mamadapur Tanda in Bidar taluk and handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, the other three accused fled from the spot. The Forest Department constituted a special team to trace them and introduced a search operation. On Tuesday, the team, led by Assistant Conservator of Forests, Basavakalyan, Muneer Ahmed, traced and arrested all three.

For context, the Forest Department seized two four-wheelers and a rifle applied in the offence. The arrested were produced before a court.

Preliminary investigation has made public that three of the accused were from Chincholi taluk of Kalaburagi district and the other three from Hyderabad in neighbouring Telangana, according to the Forest Department.

In practice, the blackbuck is a protected wild animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and hunting it is punishable under the Act. According to The department, further investigation and legal proceedings are under way.

In practice, the Forest Department appreciated the villagers of Chondi and Mamadapur tandas for apprehending three of the accused and handing them over to the police.

It appealed to individuals in Bidar district to immediately inform the nearest Forest Department office or staff concerning any instances of wildlife hunting or other illegal activities involving wildlife. According to The department, such information will be acted upon and cases registered against those identified responsible.

Meanwhile, the department additionally sought the cooperation of the public in protecting and conserving wildlife.

For now, six arrested for hunting blackbuck in Bidar forests remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.