One person was arrested and the hunt for two others is underway in a case of poaching of a Chinkara (Indian Gazelle), a Schedule-I protected species in Bhad village of Amreli in the wee hours of Sunday. The forest department formed five teams and began combing and patrolling operations soon after they received information and arrested one.
“Around 2 am on Sunday morning, we came close to the three men, one of whom fired a shot in the air, and fled. We managed to apprehend one of them. Search for the other two is underway,” said T Karuppasamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Gir (East) Division. An FIR has been filed under Section 9 (2) of the Indian Wildlife Act, 1960, which carries a sentence of 3-9 years if convicted. This is the same section under which Salman Khan has been booked, said the officer.
“The accused, when interrogated, said that he was out hunting rabbits and denied any involvement in the poaching of the Chinkara,” said the IFS officer. The forest department seized a pair of chappals and a country-made pistol. It has also taken custody of the Chinkara carcass which will be produced as evidence in court. ( News Source : ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com )
