TEAM HERALD
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SANGUEM: The Wild Life wing of the forest department attached to Netravali Wild Life Sanctuary arrested two persons on charges of possessing handmade bombs and killing a wild boar at Potrem-Telaulim, while another six persons are reported to be absconding.
According to sources, killing of wild boars for meat in the precincts of wild life sanctuary using handmade bombs and other materials at Potrem was being reported in the last few days, despite strict vigil by officials.
Sources informed that on Friday, the poachers reportedly placed about 40 handmade bombs at several places at Potrem and one reportedly exploded, killing a wild boar.
While the poachers were returning home with the wild boar meat and the unused bombs, the officials led by RFO, Prakash Salelkar, arrested Seby Rodrigues of Wadem Kurdi while six others reportedly escaped and are absconding.
The officials also recovered some copper wires used to lay traps and a chopper. Three two-wheelers allegedly used by the accused in committing the offence were also seized by the department.
Later in the evening, the forest officials reportedly arrested another person involved in the offence who had allegedly gone to the department office to claim the two-wheeler.
The accused were arrested under Sections 51 (9), 31 and 34 of Wild Life Act and also for trespassing into the reserve forest area.
The team comprised RFO, Prakash Salelkar, Haresh Mahale, Sebastiao Rodrigues, Sagun Naik, Babi Mandrekar, Abhijit Misal, Sudesh Naik, Vithal Dabolkar and Laxman Gaonkar.
