Arunachal: Poachers leaves 4 SBBL, 1 Airgun and run away in inside the D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary

Pasighat        By Maksam Tayeng

The officials of Pillumukh Beat under Anchalghat Range of the D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary have seized 4 SBBL Guns and 1 Airgun with telescope early today morning at around 3.30 am from a car parked opposite the sanctuary but the suspected poachers fled away taking the advantage of darkness.

 As per the statement of Anchalghat Range Officer, Yimar Rina, the patrolling team led by Dy. Range Officer, Getem Borang  detected a group of persons who were coming out from the D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary after doing hunting inside the protected areas at Pillumukh in the right bank of Siang River near Pillumukh Beat on the intervening night of 4th and 5th February 2020 at around 3.35 am on being challenged. The poachers ran away taking the advantage of the darkness, but left behind their 4 numbers of SBBL Guns bearing numbers 13721-91, 3927-94, 69898-1978, 45469-1989 and a 1 Air Gun fitted with Telescope, the statement read.

 Meanwhile when contacted, Dy. Range Officer, Getem Borang confirmed the incident. “At wee hour in the intervening night of 4th and 5th February my contingency field staffs heard three gun shot inside the sanctuary, but due to limited staff they couldn’t move inside the sanctuary for raid as crossing Siang river at night is also a risky job besides apprehension of hunters in numbers may overpower the only two staffs. Hence two cars (a Santro and a Maruti 800) suspected to be of the hunters were punctured and accordingly when I reached the spot following the information, the hunters fled away after crossing back from the sanctuary. By the time I reached the spot, the Maruti car had also moved out of the place but the santro car with the guns were intercepted”, added Borang who appreciated the hard work and dedication of his two contingency staff Toni Dai and Raja Rome. However, Borang has opined hope that the hunters will be arrested soon by tracing out the owners of the guns.

The Range Officer who handed over the seized guns to the DFO also stated in an FIR lodged at the Sille-Oyan Police Station today that, due to excessive hunting inside the sanctuary there is likelihood of rapid displacing of flora & fauna of D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary thereby affecting the rich bio-diversity of the protected areas. The Range Officer has requested the Sille-Oyan PS to investigate the matter so that the culprits/hunters who are doing illegalities inside the sanctuary are punished suitably.

Meanwhile, Divisional Forest Officer, D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, Tasang Taga has warned each and every hunters daring to carry out illegal hunting activities inside the sanctuary of stringent punishment permanent seizure of the guns and cancellation of its licenses.