Hunsur/ Hanagod: A Forest Beat Guard attached to Hunsur Wildlife Zone, who had illegally reared two deer and suspected to have killed one of the deer and consumed the meat, along with his relatives and friends, have been arrested.  

The arrested Beat Guard is Ponnappa alias Naveen, a resident of Udavepura village near Hanagod. The arrest was made by Bengaluru Forest Vigilance Squad members with help from Mysuru Vigilance Squad and cooperation from Hunsur Forest officials following complaints from villagers. The Forest officials have rescued one deer and have seized a gun from him. 

Details: Ponnappa, who has constructed a house in the forest border, had reportedly brought two baby deer from the forest a few months ago and was rearing them in his house. As the two deer grew big, Ponnappa allegedly slaughtered one of them about one-and-a-half months ago and had consumed the meat besides distributing the meat among his relatives and friends, it is learnt. Villagers, who had come to know about it, did not question Ponnappa, but lodged a complaint with Bengaluru Forest Vigilance Squad. 

Following the complaint, Bengaluru Forest Vigilance Squad ACF Uma and team collected information and with help from Mysuru Forest Vigilance Squad ACF Rudresh and team and Hunsur DCF Seema, ACF Lakshmikanth, RFO Subramanya and other officials raided the house of Ponnappa on Monday, rescued the deer and seized the gun. 

Ponnappa told the Forest officials that he was treating the deer since three months for the wounds it had sustained. But the Forest officials took Ponnappa into custody and produced him before a Court which remanded him to Judicial Custody. 

The rescued deer was shifted to Koorgalli Rehabilitation Centre at Mysuru and the gun, said to be belonging to one Kumar, son of Kullegowda, was seized. 

DCF Seema said that the incident is nothing but the ‘fence eating the crops.’ The Forest staff, who was supposed to safeguard wildlife has himself committed the crime. “The incident has made the Department bow its head. Ponnappa has stated that he had brought the deer to the house to treat its wounds. The real fact would come out only after a thorough investigation,” she added. 

Speaking to SOM, ACF Lakshmikanth said that Ponnappa had not informed the Department about rearing deer and finding a gun in the house is a crime. “No meat was found in the house and we have seized the gun, arrested Ponnappa and a Departmental inquiry will be conducted,” the ACF added.