Six poachers were held by the Forest Department officials for illegally hunting down black buck and other rare wild animals in Pushpagiri wildlife zone, in Somwarpet taluk, on Thursday.
The arrested are T P Muddaiah, Somaiah, Ganesh, Lokesh of Kumbaragadige village, V K Manu and Kashi of Mutlu village. Another accused is absconding.
About 40 kg meat extracted out of various animals, including black buck, porcupines and monkeys, have been seized from the accused. Three single barrel guns, six mobile phones, nine sickles and a torch light have also been confiscated.
Cases have been registered under illegal hunting and violation of the Arms act.
Pushpagiri Wildlife Zone Forest Officer Srinivas Nayak, Somwarpet Forest Officer Lakshmikanth and DRFO Dushyant led the team which conducted an operation and arrested the accused.
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