Daijiworld Media Network – Kushalnagar

Kushalnagar, May 11: In a significant wildlife crime bust, forest officials from Kushalnagar Range arrested two men on Saturday for allegedly killing two gaurs inside the Avaregunda Reserve Forest late last month. The accused, identified as Askar (26) from Kudugadde in Guhya and Vinod Kumar (34) from High School Paisari in Siddapur, were taken into custody following a detailed investigation.

According to officials, the prime accused, Suri Subrahmanya of Kudugadde, who is suspected to have fired the fatal shots, remains on the run.

Preliminary findings indicate that the poachers had illegally entered the reserve forest during the last week of April and gunned down the animals. Despite locals waking up to the sound of gunshots that night, the culprits fled the scene using a vehicle and abandoned the gaurs' carcasses.

Range Forest officer Ratan Kumar registered the case and initiated an investigation under the guidance of deputy conservator of Forests Bhaskar, ACF Gopal AA, and himself.

Forest officials confirmed that the vehicle used in the crime, registered in the name of one Pazhil, has yet to be traced. A manhunt is underway for Suri Subrahmanya.

Authorities have vowed to take stringent action against all those involved in the poaching case, which has raised serious concerns about illegal hunting in protected forest areas.