Kolhapur Forest Department Nabs Five in Pre-Dawn Anti-Poaching Operations
Forest department officials in Kolhapur district conducted two major anti-poaching operations during the early hours of Tuesday. The coordinated actions led to the arrest of five individuals who were allegedly preparing to hunt wildlife.
First Operation in Patne Forest Area
The first operation unfolded in the Chinchane-Kamewadi forest area of Patne in Chandgad tehsil. A patrol team discovered a trap being set for hunting activities in this region.
During their investigation, officials identified two suspects. They were Basappa Ningappa Deoramani and Suresh Basappa Deoramani. Both men are residents of Badanur in Saundatti tehsil of Belgaum district.
Authorities seized weapons and traps from the two individuals. The forest department produced them before a local court. The court remanded both suspects to forest custody until Friday.
Second Operation in Shahuwadi Tehsil
The second operation took place in the Ghungur Sawarewadi-Pishvi region of Mouje Ghungur village in Shahuwadi tehsil. Forest officials noticed a high-beam torch in the forest area during a separate night patrol.
They moved in to investigate the suspicious activity. Officials found three individuals who had allegedly entered the area for hunting purposes.
The suspects were identified as Sarvajit Vishnu Khot, Sanjay Balu Khot, and Vitthal Shripati Khot. All three hail from Khotwadi in Shahuwadi tehsil.
Authorities seized an unlicensed firearm and other hunting materials from the trio. The forest department presented them in court. The court sent all three individuals to forest custody until Saturday.
Supervision and Public Appeal
Both operations were conducted under the supervision of deputy conservator of forests Dhairyasheel Patil and assistant deputy conservator of forests V R Kale. Pendakhale range forest officer S N Jadhav and Patne range forest officer Sheetal Patil executed the operations along with their teams.
Dhairyasheel Patil, the deputy conservator of forests for Kolhapur, made a public appeal following the arrests. He urged people to report any wildlife-related concerns or incidents using the toll-free number 1926.
The forest department emphasized their commitment to protecting wildlife in the region. These operations demonstrate their active patrol and enforcement measures against illegal hunting activities.
