Vijaypura (Karnataka), Oct 23 (IANS): Forest officials arrested an astrologer in Karnataka's Vijaypura on Wednesday after it seized tiger and blackbuck skins besides tiger claws from his house.

Forest officials warned that the punishment similar to that for hunting endangered animals is levied for even possessing skins, claws or other parts of such animals.

Acting on a tip-off, the forest officials raided the house of Mahesh Hiremath, who is said to be an astrologer and allegedly involved in the acts of black magic, in

Vijaypura, and made the seizures.

Speaking to IANS from Vijaypura, which is over 500 km from Bengaluru, District Forest Officer Ashok Patil, who had led the raid, said that this could be the first case of seizure of tiger skin and claws in the district.

"Two more persons are involved in this crime, and had possibly procured and sold the skin to Mahesh. We have launched a search operation to nab them," he said.

Patil said that a case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides for up to seven years imprisonment.