Hunsur: In an effort to curb the entry of poachers, illegal miners, timber smugglers and encroachers while protecting forests, frontline Forest Department employees at Nagarahole National Park have arrested three poachers with arms and ammunition.

Department staff cornered the three persons on the night of July 25 while they were trying to make an entry into the protected forests to poach animals at Hebbala area under Anechowkur Wildlife Rage. 

The arrested have been identified as 32-year-old Nanaiah from Nalloor village near Ponnampet in Kodagu, 45-year-old Narendra, a bus driver from Ponnampet and 32-year-old Manju, an estate worker at Mathoor village, also near Ponnampet. 

A Single Barrel Breach Loading (SBBL) gun, six cartridges, three knives, batteries and improvised torches, two bags and Omni vehicle (KA-03 MA-6657) have been seized. Forest staff said that the poachers were attempting to kill a spotted deer for meat. Two more persons are involved in the case and efforts are on to trace them.

Range Forest Officer Shivanand Ningani, DRFO D. Shivaprasad and Yogeshawari Desai, Forest Guard Nataraj, Watchers Vishwanath and Subramani and drivers Azaruddin and Siraj participated in the operation.