A group of hunters seized with a hunting gun by the Tungareshwar Range forest officials

The Tungareshwar Range forest officials after a late night long operation swooped in the dense jungle and raided the makeshift campsite of a group of hunters and seized a hunting gun with the gun powder and ball bearings, that were used used to shoot the animals. A skull of a wild boar too, has been found in their possession. The forest officials managed to catch two, while the other four accused managed to flee as soon as they saw the officials.

The Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Vasai is a very sensitive zone for leopards and other wild animals like hyena and wild boars. The hunters had camped up in the dense hilltop of the jungle and had food materials stocked inside the tents.

"We were tipped off about them after they fired several rounds in order to kill an animal. We entered the jungle at night and arrested Ramesh Chavre,28 and Rohidas Pawar,41 while their four other accomplices fled", said MT Ahire, range forest officer.

"We have arrested them under relevant sections of Indian Forest Act, Wildlife Protection Act and Indian Arms Act and will produce them at the Vasai court and are investigating further", said Ahire.

"We suspect that they are involved in the animal skin selling racket and they are a part of a mafia which hunted wild animals for tusks and skins," he added.