Country-made guns, gun manufacturing equipment seized

Kollegal: Kollegal Rural Police have arrested seven poachers, who were hunting down wild animals coming in search of food and water to agricultural fields in forest borders and have seized seven country-made guns besides seizing equipment used in the manufacturing of country-made guns from a house. 

The poachers were arrested at Jageri village of Sathegala Gram Panchayat limits in the taluk.

The arrested are 27-year-old John Jonas, 48-year-old John Bosco, 29-year-old Antony Anand, 28-year-old Simon Stalin, 33-year-old Bhagyaraj, 27-year-old Sheshuraju and 25-year-old Antony Raju, all residents of Shanthinagar near Jageri village.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chamarajanagar district Superintendent of Police (SP) Divya Sara Thomas said that accused John Jonas owned agricultural land in Survey No. 174 at the foot of Gavirayaswamy Hill near Shanthinagar where he was into agricultural activity.

She further said that to hunt down wild animals coming to his land, John, along with his friends, had stored gun powder and had kept seven country-made guns.

Acting on a tip off, Circle Inspector Srikanth, Sub-Inspectors Ashok, Veerabhadrappa, Tajuddin and staff raided the place and arrested all the seven accused besides seizing seven country-made guns from them.

Gun manufacture

The SP, lauding the Police for their concern towards wildlife conservation, said that John Jonas, the prime accused, was manufacturing country-made guns at his house and added that equipment used for manufacturing guns was found in his house which has been seized by the Police.

Another arrest

The SP said that in another case, Police have arrested one more poacher identified as Munirudrappa, a resident of Dandalli coming under Ramapura Police limits and have seized a country-made gun. She further said that Munirudrappa was involved in many poaching cases earlier too and now, he has been caught with a gun. During interrogation, Munirudrappa has told the Police that he had purchased the country-made gun at Anchipalya in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu.