KOLHAPUR: The Kolhapur forest department nabbed five poachers on Friday night when they were returning after carrying an illegal hunting in Malkapur forest range.
Two of them hunted rare mouse deers and two hunted hares.
The forest officials recovered one licensed gun, three search lights, 13 live cartridges, six used cartridges and two bikes from their possession.
Meanwhile, two poachers were successful in fleeing away from the spot and the search for them is under way.
Range forest officer for Malkapur, Amit Bhosale said, "Through our secret source, we had came to know that few poachers from Pishawi village in Shahuwadi taluka would be going for hunting in the forest range of Shahuwadi itself and we had laid a trap accordingly. On Friday night, after hearing sound of the gun near Mandlai plateau, we went in that direction and caught five people while two became successful in absconding from the spot.
The arrested men have been identified as Ramchandra Balu Borage (33), Sanjay Hindurao Bhosale (33), Pravin Vishwas Borage (29), Maruti Pandurang Vare (30) and Bajirao Baburao Borge (45). A court at Shahuwadi sent them to three days of the forest departments' custody.
"Two mouse deers, two hares, three guns, three search lights, 13 live cartridges, six used cartridges and two bikes have been seized from these poachers. Chopped meat of some animal has also been seized and the exact details about which animals meat it is will be known after forensic lab report. While the search for two poachers who fled from the spot is ongoing" added Bhosale.
