Our Correspondent :
MAHASAMUND, FIVE persons were arrested for killing a cheetal by electrocuting it through a live GI wire in an area under Mahasamund forest range of the district. As per the information, the accused have been identified as Basant Khadiya (30), Toran Khadiya (39), Chanduram Dhruv (50), Harichand Sahu (50) and Loku Diwan (55). All of them have been charged under Sections 9, 39(1) C, 44 (1) A, 49 (C), 50 and 51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Two bundles GI wire, cheetal’s skull, jaws and neck were also recovered from the accused. Forest officials got a tip-off that a cheetal was killed in beat number -74 of Mudmaar forest premises. It was also tipped-off that Basant, a resident of Jhumarbadi was involved in killing of cheetal. Based on the information, a joint team of Forest and Police officials reached the village and arrested Basant. Cheetal’s skull and other parts were recovered from his house. On inputs received from Basant, the team arrested four other accomplices Toran, Chanduram, Harichand and Loku.
The accused were produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) and sent to jail. Chief Forest Conservator Raipur J R Naik said that the action was taken by a team constituted by DFO Mayank Pandey. Deputy DFO S S Navik, Ranger Rakesh Choubey, Naveen Kumar Sharma, Rupesh Kannoje and Neelkanth Sahu were part of the action.