: Two forest officials were arrested Wednesday in connection with poaching of a Nilgai (Asian antelope) in Kawal Tiger reserve, forest department officials said.
A Deputy Forest Range Officer in Nirmal district, who was suspended for allegedly not initiating action against a tiger poacher, who had also killed a Nilgai, had been on the run, they said.
Forest Section officer M A Rasheed and Forest Beat officer Vasanth were arrested in Pembi Forest range in Nirmal district in connection with alleged "involvement in Nilgai poaching case and connivance" with local poachers in Pembi, they said.
Mohd Hafezzuddin, in-charge of Pembi Forest Range, was Tuesday suspended for allegedly suppressing the fact and not booking case against the poachers G Prakash and others, who were involved in the killing of a Nilgai, they said.
"Hafezzudin is still absconding and evading arrest. The search is on" (to nab him), they said.
The arrest of the forest officialswas based on a detailed enquiry conductedinto the irregularities and complaintby the forest department.
These arrests would set an example and act as a deterrent in forest and wildlife offences in future, they added.
According to Kaghaznagar Forest Divisional Officer Rajaramana Reddy Prakash had killed the Nilgai on December 31.
Hafezzuddin being aware of it, did not arrest the poachers or booked a case and neither intimated the matter to the Forest Department as he had allegedly taken a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the poachers, officials said.
Hafezzuddin seized 10 kg meat of the wild animal and stored it in the forest quarters, he said.
Prakash was also an accused in connection with the seizure of tiger skin at Ichoda in Adilabad district on January 5, another Forest Department official said, adding the male tiger had died of electrocution in Pembi Forest Range of Kawal Tiger Reserve in November 2018
Five persons, including Prakash, were arrested in this connection, they said.
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