TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CANACONA: Forest officials arrested three persons from Verna and seized 209 frogs from their possession at Polem check post in Canacona early Sunday morning.
The forest officials also attached a car (GA-01-N-1690) that was used to transport frogs from Karnataka to Goa.
According to forest sources, acting on a tip-off, the forest officials from three different ranges laid a trap at Polem check post since Saturday midnight.
The forest team drawn from three forest ranges at Cotigao, Canacona and Quepem finally succeeded in intercepting the car at Polem check post at about 6.30 am.
On conducting search, the forest officials found three sacks containing frogs in the car.
Sources informed that about 51 frogs were found dead, while the remaining 158 frogs were found alive.
Forest sources further informed that the accused, Damian Fernandes, Agnelo Vaz and Pacino Vaz, all from Sonarwado-Nagoa, Verna, were arrested by the forest department.
Forest sources said all the three accused were produced in Margao Court and the forest department got two days custody of the accused, who are presently lodged at Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary.
RFO Cotigao Narayan Waingankar, RFO Quepem Minguel Fernandes and RFO Canacona Narayan Faldesai carried out the raid under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wild Life) Sanjay Waradkar.
