SRINAGAR: Wildlife officials have apprehended a poacher with the carcass of rare species and seized his car on Mughal Road.
An official spokesman said the car (JK-12B / 4604) was located near Panar Bridge on Mughal Road falling under the jurisdiction of Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary of Wildlife Range Poonch of Wildlife Division Rajouri-Poonch Hq Rajouri.
“On seeing the wildlife team, the driver of the vehicle tried to flee from the spot but on being chased he was stopped at some distance,” the spokesman said, adding when the car came to a halt, three persons boarding the car fled away from the spot but the wildlife team managed to overpower the driver of the said vehicle.
“During the search of the vehicle about 2.5 kg meat of the wild animal, species one corpse of female Himalayan Monal (locally named as Haam), one 12 bore Gun Barrel, 3 live cartridges, 1 empty cartridge of 12 bore gun were also recovered from the possession of the driver / owner of the vehicle identified as Mukhtar Ahmed resident of village Sangla, Tehsil Surankote, District Poonch.”
The accused is a government school teacher and was arrested and lodged in a Police lockup at Police Station Surankote after medical examination.
The spokesman said the vehicle along with the illegal stuff has been seized and kept into the custody of the Wildlife team control room Surankote. The rest of the three persons who managed to escape from the spot have also been identified and a massive search has been launched to nab them.
The arrest has been made under the provision of J&K Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The arrested person was produced before Sub-Judge / JMIC Surankote for remand, which was granted till 24-Feb-2022 for further investigation.
