ADILABAD: The arrest of 11 alleged poachers following the electrocution death of a 40-year-old man in the Kancharabavi forest area of Mancherial has raised concerns over surveillance in the Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR).
Mancherial ACP R Prakash said the gang had allegedly laid electric wires across a stretch of two to three kilometres in the forest to trap wild animals. The wires were connected to a nearby transformer box using bamboo sticks.
Meanwhile, five tigers were spotted together on the Masal-Patasgaon road in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district.
Police said that on November 10, Boyadi Reddy accidentally came into contact with the live wires and died around 9.30 pm. The accused allegedly removed the wires and fled after learning about the death.
Following a complaint by his wife, Boyadi Saritha, Dandepalli police formed two teams and launched an investigation. Based on technical evidence, police arrested 11 suspects near Old Mamidipalli village on November 12.
The accused were identified as Mamidi Ramesh, Mamidi Raj Naresh, Pendur Jangu, Kasturi Rajender, J Simhadri, Attram Ganesh, Thodasam Prabhakar alias Shekhar, Y Praveen, Jagadam Shankar, Jagadam Ashok and Komuram Sai. Police seized wires, eight mobile phones, two axes, 12 bamboo sticks and glass pieces.
A case was registered under the relevant provisions of the BNS and Electricity Act.
Despite restrictions on Adivasis and others entering forest areas for sand and beedi leaf collection, locals have questioned the alleged failure of ground-level forest staff to detect poaching and teak smuggling. Poachers reportedly killed five to six spotted deer in the same area last year. Forest staff had earlier been provided two-wheelers to improve surveillance.
Concerns have also emerged over 12-wheel and 14-wheel lorries using forest roads.