Maha: Five held for poaching in Gondia; organs of wild animals seized

Five persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in poaching during raids in Maharashtra’s Gondia district, an official said on Monday.

In a joint operation, personnel from the police and forest department conducted raids in the Naxal-affected Palandur Jamindari and Mangezari villages in Deori tehsil in the early hours of Sunday, he said. Officials recovered snares, nails and organs of wild animals, and more than Rs 21.49 lakh cash from the accused, the official said.

The authorities had received information about poaching of a melanistic (black) leopard a month ago and a probe led them to the two villages, range forest officer Sachin Dongarwar (Navegaonbandh) said.

A separate team was formed and raids were conducted at Palandur Jamindari and in Mangazari village, in which officials recovered and seized nails and organs of wild animals, country liquor worth Rs 84,000 and more than Rs 21.49 lakh cash, he said.

An offence under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 was registered against the accused and more arrests are likely, the official said.