TUMAKURU: In connection with a case of hunting of a sloth bear for game meat in the Thimlapura sloth bear sanctuary range the forest department sleuths have arrested six persons at Goujugallu village in Koratagere taluk on Friday.
Following a tip-off the range forest officer H M Suresh the officials unearthed 1.05 kg of the game meat at the accused Chikkabasavaiah's house. They ascertained that it was of a sloth bear as the accused along with five other accomplices have hunted down the animal and converted it as a slice of meat in the vicinity. The parts of the animal were also seized along with the sharp weapons from the site of the incident.
Along with the key accused, the others including G N Sathish, Rajanna, Nagaraj Sridhar, and Ramaiah have been arrested. They were booked under Karnataka Wildlife Protection Act 1972 for the violation under sections 2(20), 9,39, 48(b), read with 51 and 51(A).
The accused seemingly have an antecedent of hunting down the wild animals for game meat especially the sloth bears as their density is high in the range which is attached to the sanctuary as it was declared by the Karnataka government some years ago.
"Killing of the sloth bears is a cognizable offense as the animal is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Act 1972. We will take action against the poachers in the range", remarked the deputy conservator of forests Dr S Ramesh.