Two more members of active poaching gang held in Raigad

Arms and ammunition among other things seized from the accused

A day after arresting four people for allegedly trying to sell leopard skin for Rs 20 lakh, the forest department officials have nabbed two more members of the poaching gang that seems to be operating in Raigad district. They suspect that more poachers of the gang could be active in the region.

Range Forest Officer Rajendra Pawar from Yeoor Range of Sanjay Gandhi National Park said a raid was conducted in Tala-Roha on Thursday during which they arrested Madhukar Kirtane and Uttam Kirtane. He added that they also recovered a gun, ammunition, wire snares and antlers of deer from them.

Also read: Sanjay Gandhi National Park poaching case: Now, a gunman spotted in cameras!

The interrogation of the four men arrested outside Yeoor Range on Wednesday led to the search operation. "During examination of the leopard skin, we noticed a hole in it and interrogated the four accused about it. They confessed that one of their team members had shot the leopard," Pawar said.

The four accused also revealed that they used to set traps using snares to catch wild boar and spotted deer. One a leopard got stuck in the trap and was shot dead by one of the members. They later decided to sell the skin.

While the four members are in the custody of forest officials till Monday, Madhukar and Uttam will be produced in a court on Saturday.

Also read: SGNP's weapon against poachers: Phone records, gun permit database

Absconding 'poacher' held
The forest department officials have also arrested the absconding accused who allegedly stored meat of wild boar at his house in Chena village and sell it to villagers. The officials recovered two air guns, a country-made gun and wild boar meat from Yogesh Jadhav's home a couple of days back.

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