Two poachers held with spotted deer skins

Of the two poachers, in their late 30s, one hails from Nepal and the other is a resident of Bahraich. The men were arrested late Friday evening following a joint operation by the police and the Special Operations Group (SOG).

"Seven skins of spotted deer were seized from the jute sack they were carrying. Acting on a tip-off, we arrested the duo in Nanpara area," police inspector S.R. Suman told reporters in Bahraich, about 300 km from Lucknow.

"The two men confessed that they have been selling hides and skins of wild animals in various states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar," he added. Police are yet to ascertain the place where the seven deer were killed. The poachers have been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) under which injuring or killing a spotted deer is an offence.