Poacher gifts 'winged trophy' for Chingai Ind candidate
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Ukhrul, February 02, 2012: Even as the electoral battle in Chingai Assembly Constituency is still on with re-polling scheduled in nine polling stations, Independent candidate Khashim Vashum has won a rare "trophy" from the electorates of Phungcham village.

One Pr.

Pamrei (53), a native of Phungcham village, shot down a rare winged creature from his village jungle and brought it to Ukhrul as a gift to Independent candidate Khashim Vashum last evening.

Pr Pamrei's kill on Wednesday was no ordinary.

The bird, which was sighted in the village for the first time and drew a public spectacle as it was displayed by the roadside in Ukhrul town, looks like it belongs to Vulture family.

It weighs about 13 kgs and stands at about 4 feet, while its wings spread to more than 2.5 metres.

The birds, seven in number, were first spotted on January 31. On Wednesday morning, Pamrei tracked the birds feeding on the carcasses of buffalo calf left in the jungle of his village.

It was not an easy task even for the veteran hunter, who made the kill after more than 12-hour chase.

"In the morning I lay in wait near the carcasses� and got a chance with one of them (birds) that was perching on a nearby tree," he said.

Pamrei made his kill finally at about 9am yesterday.

Leaving aside the majestic large beak Hornbills occasionally sighted in some villages of Ukhrul in winter, the brown feathered birds which have an Eagle-like beak are rare arrival and migrated probably from neighboring Myanmar.

"I have hunted the jungles for years, but have not seen anything like that before.

It could have come from Burma," Pamrei claimed.

He said the Hornbills migrated from Myanmar are occasionally sighted in Phungcham village at a place called "Varangrai." The name is given so, meaning the abode of Hornbills.

The hunter's migratory theory, perhaps, has some relevance.

After one of the birds was gunned down, the remaining ones were said to have taken its flight to Nungbi (Longpi) range located towards Northern Somra Hill tracts.

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