Three arrested for killing blackbuck in Gujarat's Velavadar Sanctuary

Following constant complaints of killing of male blackbuck in Velavadar National Sanctuary, the forest department kept a watch on activities there and on Wednesday they nabbed three persons who were preparing to celebrate with blackbuck's meat in the sanctuary.

While on the trail, forest department officials noted that one blackbuck was sick and could not run according to her capacity. She came under the scanner of forest guards and on Wednesday at 10 am Range Forest Officer (RFO) RP Jadeja started off in search of the ill animal.

After much effort and after searching almost every corner of the sanctuary, they could not locate her. But Jadeja sighted marks of a motor bike—and half a kilometre away residents of Sanes (Bhal), Hasmukh Premji Chudasama, Anil Gordhanbhai Chudasama and Kanti Devjibhai Chauhan were caught red-handed with the carcass of a male blackbuck.

The three accused were nabbed when they were in the process of separating the meat, skeleton, legs and head of the animal.

After primary interrogation, the forest department found that the accused were planning a party on the animal’s meat, and intended to sell the head and skin of the blackbuck.

Sources in the forest department said that in the grey market the head could fetch Rs.10,000 and skin double that amount. The three accused were presented before magistrate IA Pathan and sent to jail.