Blackbuck, deer skin seized from ashram

BENGALURU: CID wildlife forest cell officials raided Datta Peeta Ashram of Sri Sri Sri Guru Dutta Swamiji at Hoskerehalli and found skin of two blackbucks and three spotted deer.

The forest cell said a case will be booked at Chennammanakere Achukattu police station.

Blackbuck is an endangered species protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, while spotted deer is protected under Schedule III.

Dutta is a television personality and an astrologer and he usually charges `1,000 for an appointment.

A forest official said, “We have been working on this for the past three days. We had received a tip-off from a source. Only after investigation will we be able to throw some light on whether he was encouraging animal skin trade or was into hunting. The skin of one black buck and one spotted deer were quite fresh. There is no doubt that they were shot. There were marks of bullets on the skin.”

However, Dutta has not been arrested so far as he was not present during the raid.

When Express contacted the police station, they refrained from giving out any details.

So far no complaint has been registered by the CID, he added.

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