The Bangarupalem police on Wednesday nabbed four persons on charges of poaching at Koundinya wildlife sanctuary, and seized a country rifle along with a stock of gunpowder and pellets, and skin and antlers of a deer.
Sub-Inspector (Bangarupalem) Ramakrishna said that on a tip-off, a special party rushed to the forest fringe village of Devarakonda near Moghili ghat section and sighted a gang of six accused emerging from the sanctuary zone. “While two of them fled, we nabbed four of them, all local persons of Bangarupalem mandal,” he said.
On interrogation, it was found that the accused had hunted a deer in the sanctuary on July 13 and sold its meats. The skin and antlers of the deer were also seized. A case was registered under Acts of wildlife protection and possession of illegal arms, and the accused were sent for remand.
Funds released
Meanwhile, Divisional Forest Officer (Chittoor East) Narentheran in a press release said the pending salaries of 303 forest staff, including forest protection watchers, strike forces, drivers, elephant trackers and data entry operators, would be paid for the months from March-June in a couple of days.
The DFO said that Chief Minster Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had released ₹9.219 crores for disbursement of pending salaries all over the State, while the Tirupati wildlife circle was allocated ₹1.74 crore.
Mr Narentheran said the problem of the staff was duly represented to senior officials of the department and Forest Minister Balineni Srinivasulu Reddy.
