Two people who killed a Malabar civet cat by shooting the animal, in Malambi Reserve Forest, were arrested by Forest Department personnel on Wednesday night.
H S Lohith and H R Suresh from Hittalakeri village of Nidta Gram Panchayat limits are the accused. They killed the six-month-old rare animal for meat.
The dead civet cat, the gun used by the accused, one torch and a motorbike were seized from the arrested. A case has been registered in Shanivarasanthe Forest Department.
Forest officer K Kotresh said that Malabar civet cat is identified as a rare animal of India and the population is around 300 to 400. It is enlisted in Schedule - 1 of Wildlife Conservation Act 1972.
DCF Govind Raj, forest guard Venkatesh, Nagaraj, Ramesh, Ganesh, Rapid Response Team personnel Devikanth, Keerthi, Harshith, Yatish and Harish Kumar conducted the raid.
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