Sleuths attached to the forest mobile squad seized the carcasses of 11 peacocks and 28 birds at Udayagiri in the city, on Tuesday, and arrested three men on the charge of poaching.
The arrested have been identified as: Nasir Hussain of Gargeshwari, T Narsipura, Shivaraj and Billa of Tiger block, HD Kote.
The squad, led by Madikeri wildlife SP Jinendra Kanagavi, intercepted Nasir Hussain near the KSRTC bus stand at Udayagiri, and found that he was carrying a bag full of poached birds on his two-wheeler. Acting on leads provided by him, the squad arrested the two other accused – Nagaraju and Billa.
The men confessed to killing the birds in Mandya district, with the intention of selling the meat to various hotels in the city. Two motorbikes, four nets and snares have been seized from the arrested. Peacocks are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.