Pics: Arun Uppinangady
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Oct 30: The policemen of Uppinangady station, who collected information that a few men had illegally hunted down an elk in Shibaje sanctuary, swung into action and arrested the culprits. A team lead by Uppinangady sub-inspector of police, G T Dasari, arrested four accused and confiscated a Qualis car and unlicensed country gun from them.

The accused have been identified as Joy (50), Saju (30), Siju (22) and Thomas (46). The policemen said that these four persons, along with two others, had entered the sanctuary in the guise of looking for Kanaje flower that grows in the forest. They then used their unlicensed gun to hunt down an elk. The police party, which received reliable information about this illegal activity, raided a place in Udane in Shiradi village and found the four accused travelling in a Qualis vehicle with 40 kgs of elk meat and gun. Two others succeeded in escaping.

The policemen have registered cases against the arrested men, under Wildlife Protection Act and Illegal Arms Act.