HYDERABAD: Hunters from Hyderabad, including a medical doctor, were arrested by the Bidar police for killing black bucks at
Halsur village of Basavakalyan. Additional Superintendent of Police, Bidar,
Hari Babu told TOI on telephone from Bidar that the three-member gang had what it looked like a complete professional set-up to hunt down blackbucks.
"They had a customised vehicle that looked as if it had been made to be used for poaching purposes," he said.
Out of the three hunters arrested, one of them is a medical doctor.
Another told the police that he was the son of a police officer who had served in the anti-naxalite wing.
Travelling all the way to Bidar which is 145 km from Hyderabad was a habit for the gang. Those arrested were Dr Mujahid Ali Khan, Syed Raza and Yakoob. "They have been visiting Bidar for the purpose of hunting and in recent times there were here at least two more times," Hari Babu said. While one local person who assisted them was also arrested, another person is also said to be associated.
The arrested gang members have been booked under The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. Police have found that the gang members were in possession of sophisticated weapons. "We will mention all what we found in the chargesheet that will be filed," Hari Babu said.
The hunters were arrested last week when police found that they had hunted one black buck and two local deer. During questioning by the police, one of the gang members reportedly told the police that they had been coming there routinely for hunting. "People of the nearby villages have told us not long ago they used to see thousands of black bucks in the area. Now the number has dwindled to just a few hundreds," a police official said.
Some of the black bucks get killed when they get in touch with solar fencing in the fields. There are also been regular instance of poaching by hunters. With the arrest of the gang from Hyderabad, Bidar police have taken up a thorough investigation to probe if more gangs are operating and how many more are involved.