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Sambar fawn killed for meat inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Thane forest officials

The forest department had arrested five people on January 4 all of whom had confessed to setting up snares in and around the Filmcity.

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The five arrested accused in connection with the Filmcity poaching case
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Even as the Thane territorial forest department arrested one more person in connection with the Filmcity-Sambar and Leopard poaching case, a shocking revelation by one of the accused has sent tizzy amongst forest staff and wildlife activists.

The forest department had arrested five people on January 4 all of whom had confessed to setting up snares in and around the Filmcity.

As per sources inside the forest department, one of the accused during interrogation has told the forest department that in 2016-2017 he was involved in killing a Sambar fawn — a protected species for meat. What makes this admission shocking and worrying is the fact that this crime was committed near Tulsi range, inside the protected area of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) making it evident that even protected areas are hotbeds for poaching.

"The accused has admitted that he along with four others had ventured near Tulsi lake where they managed to catch a fawn and even kill it with a knife after which its meat was cooked and consumed by all four," informed the source adding that the accused was even taken to the spot where he pointed out the site where the fawn was caught and killed. This has been conveyed by the Thane territorial officials to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) officials as the area falls within their jurisdiction.

The accused also affirmed that they regularly went fishing at the Tulsi lake. The forest department that got two more days of the accused's custody on Monday, is continuing with the interrogation to get more details that would help them bust such poaching rackets in forest areas.

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