The blackbuck seized by the Forest department
Vishal Londhe, the assistant conservator of forest for Kannad range, said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. “A joint team of forest department officials from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalgaon raided the home of the worker on Sept 18. It follows the alleged illegal felling and smuggling of 57 anjan trees and a separate sandalwood smuggling case.
Because it is the third major forest or wildlife-related case linked to the Gautala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary region in a fortnight, the case assumes significance. Stay updated with the latest Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar news.
Further investigation is on to detect the sale plot, if any,” Londhe said. “A detailed probe is required into the source of the blackbuck, how it reached the accused, who transported it, who the prospective buyers were, and whether any financial transaction had taken place,” Khairnar said. Forest department authorities said the investigation would determine whether any senior official was involved. The department must increase vigil to stop old, native trees from being chopped,” he said.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : A blackbuck was found tied up at the home of a daily-wage forest department worker at Shivapur near Gautala Autramghat wildlife sanctuary. It was allegedly being kept there for sale. Now, the authorities are probing whether the trail leads higher up the department. The rescued blackbuck is safe and under the department’s monitoring. The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a schedule-I protected species. Its illegal capture, possession or sale attracts stringent punishment. Local activist Ashween Khairnar, who tipped off the forest department, has alleged that a senior forest employee had asked the worker to keep the blackbuck at his house. He claimed the animal was being prepared for sale. The department has registered a case against three accused in the tree-felling case. It has also seized the wood and the vehicle allegedly used to transport it. Khairnar claimed smugglers use several routes out of the region. “The suspected wood smuggling routes from the region include Chalisgaon-Dhule-Navapur-Gujarat, Chalisgaon-Malegaon-Mumbai, and Chalisgaon-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Ahilyanagar-Mumbai. Download the TOI App.