Hunters held with 120kg wild meat

Idukki: A four-member hunting gang was arrested by Erumali forest range officials during a late-night operation on Sunday from Manju Mala area near Popson estate in Erumeli range. A sambar deer weighing 120 kg shot by the hunting gang was found in their jeep when the foresters stopped them near the estate. A licensed 12-bore double barrel gun, ammunition, the meat of the sambar deer, and the jeep have been taken into custody. Forest officials said that the patrolling in the Popson area was held based on a tip-off. The arrested persons include Jinse Jose, 36, (who owns the gun) and Joseph Antony, 59, natives of Adichilamakkal near Mundakayam; Tomy Mathew, 44, of Peruvanthanam and Thomanparambil Shibu K, 41, of Pambanar near Kallar. They have been slapped with relevant sections of The Wildlife (Protection) Act. The accused were presented before the Peermade magistrate on Monday night and have been sent to judicial custody.“The gang has confessed to have hunted another Sambar deer 20 days ago in the region and Sambar deer is included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Act and is one of the most protected animals. The accused have stated that they have been selling wild meat to as many as 25 persons in Kanjirappally, Mundakayam, Ponkkunnam, and Nallathanni. The buyers of the wild meat will also be prosecuted,” Erumeli range officer B R Jayan said. He also said that the arrested gang members are associated with a wider network of hunters and all their links will be investigated.