Arunachal: DEWS joint patrolling squad recovers 2nd hidden gun of 3 arrested hunters
PASIGHAT ( By Maksam Tayeng )- The joint patrolling squad of Borguli, Sibiyamukh and Anchalghat Wildlife Range of D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (DEWS) here have recovered 2nd SBBL gun hidden by 3 recently arrested hunters from southernmost part of Borguli Wildlife Range opposite road damage portion along Mebo-Dhola road in the north of Namsing village.
The first gun was recovered the next day of the arrest and the second one was recovered on Tuesday morning which was also handed over to police on the same day as evidence, because hunters with their supporters and well-wishers were crying innocent while claiming they were only fishing. The hunters were arrested on 23rd July evening and were handed over to police next day on 24th July as it took wildlife officials till midnight to bring the hunters to Pasighat because of hardship in crossing the Siang river from the sanctuary and also due to disturbances created by many villagers who were found gathering in large numbers at the place from where hunters were brought out from the sanctuary after arrest.
As per wildlife officials like Naning Perme and Orin Perme, some people from the village involving senior citizens and PRI leaders were batting in favour of the hunters by saying they were only doing fishing activities, but not hunting. However, wildlife officials were determined to take action as two out of three hunters were habitual with hunting records inside the sanctuary in the past and they were suspected to have hidden their guns inside the grassland of the sanctuary as they first fled inside the sanctuary seeing the wildlife patrolling squad approaching.
Accordingly, the search operation team of the sanctuary could recover the 1st gun the next day from the place of salt lick ambush laid by the same hunters. But it took 3 days of intensive search operations to recover the 2nd gun.
After the recovery of two guns, one hunter was brought to the place of incident on Tuesday by police team led by case Investigation Officer, Sub Inspector, Tapir Komut assisted by wildlife officials led by Orin Perme, Range Officer (i/c) Anchalghat Wildlife Range based on the case registered vide Pasighat PS Case No. 88/2021 U/S 447/144/34 IPC R/W Sec/27(1)of Arms Act, R/W Sec/57(1) of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 on 24th July last. As per police, the gun owners were also summoned to Pasighat PS today who has also confessed of lending the guns to the hunters, but denied involvement in the hunting attempt episode inside the sanctuary. However, wildlife officials have claimed that some gun owners were directly or indirectly involved in such illegal hunting inside the sanctuary in the past who get shares of meat from the hunters or hunters are being engaged for hunting by gun owners in want of wildlife meat.
Meanwhile, Adi Baane Kebang has also condemned the incident and has demanded stringent punishment against those hunters. In his statement, Okom Yosung, Secretary General, ABK appealed that people of Adi community settling around the sanctuary need to protect the rich flora & fauna of the sanctuary as excessive hunting activities of the community even in protected areas have drastically affected the population of the wildlife.
While appealing to the police and wildlife official for stringent action against any illegal hunters doing hunting inside the protected areas/D. Ering WL Sanctuary, Yosung has also urged public leaders and society elders not to back up and support to such hunters which is against the conservation and protection of wildlife and let the law take its own course of action. “We have asked ABK East Siang Unit to submit a detailed report about the hunting episode to ABK (apex) for further action”, added Yosung this evening.
