Bengaluru: On the instructions of Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre, the Bangalore City Forest officers and staff conducted an operation on Bannerghatta Road and arrested a person who was killing deer for meat and seized 2 cars, a bike and 2 guns. The minister had instructed the officers and staff to conduct the operation based on the specific information received by him that a gang of wildlife killers was killing deer and selling meat in the Bannerghatta forest in Kolar.
On the instructions of the Minister, a joint team of the Bangalore City Forest Department and the Vigilance Department stopped and inspected a car with registration number KA 05 / AG 1302 near the Bannerghatta-Nice Road junction. They found that 4 dead spotted deer and a dead wild boar were being transported in the car and arrested Pratap (31).
During interrogation, it was learned that there were more dead deer and meat in the shed of C.K. Palya. They raided it and seized a bike and another Indica car and seized a total of 9 deer and a wild boar, about 74 kg of deer meat, 1 double-barrel gun, 1 single-barrel gun and 10 cartridges.
The shed owner Bhimappa, the accused Balaraju and Ramesh, who had kept the deer meat, are missing and the search is on for them.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act and action has been taken. The operation was led by Chief Conservator of Forests Sivashankar, Deputy Conservator of Forests Ravindra Kumar and Assistant Conservator of Forests Ganesh.