Van, gun, deer meat seized

Hunsur:  Forest Department personnel have arrested two persons, who had killed a Sambar Deer at Veeranahosalli Range in Nagarahole Reserve Forest and seized deer meat, a Maruti Omni van and the gun used for the crime.

The arrested are Shyam Manikya of Rathnapuri and Raju Lokesh of Shindenahalli in the taluk.

Yesterday, four poachers, who arrived in a van (KA-09-MD-2785), entered the Reserve Forest between 8.30 pm and 9 pm and shot dead a deer at Kolavige Chamalli Pare. The forest staff, who heard the gunshot, surrounded the place from where they heard the sound and when they neared the place, two of the four poachers managed to flee from the spot and the Forest staff caught the remaining two.

The poachers had already beheaded the deer and chopped the meat into small pieces and had stuffed them in bags.

The Forest staff, who arrested the two, have registered a case and are interrogating them. 

Range Forest Officer (RFO) Ravindra, Deputy RFO Chandresh, Forest Guards Devaraj, Suresh Lambani, Naveen and others took part in the operation.