Five hunters arrested, weapons seized
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 20 2023:
Five people who were hunting in the reserved forest area of Nongmaiching hill range under Imphal East district were arrested on Monday.
The arrested people have been identified as Rimai Yarmei (40) s/o Tharmei, J Saper Rimai (60) s/o Kadosig, L Somi (70) s/o Joshemba, Aldish Joshingba (55), s/o Loshingba Shinglou and Joseph Khonghe (37), s/o Hormi Khonghe.
All of them are from Sopleng village under Lamlai police station.
According to police report, following a tip off, a joint team of Sanjenbam police, Nongmaiching forest officer, Irilbung Ngariyan beat officer and their staff members carried out a drive along Nongmaiching hill range and arrested the hunters on Monday morning.
Hunting weapons used by them were also seized.
During the drive, the joint team also came across huts and cooking places used by the hunters in the Khalong area of Nongmaiching hill range.
While the team was conducting the drive, an auto was seen approaching and when checked, the guns used by the hunters were found.
On further checking, the team also found bird nets, knives and mobile phone among others.
All the five hunters have been arrested under section 9 of Wild Life Protection Act 1972.Nongmaiching Reserved Forest in Imphal East district is about 20 km from the state's capital.
Police said that they were arrested while trying to poach nocturnal animals inside the Reserved Forest under the Central Forest Division.
Based on reliable information a number of hunters who have trespassed into the reserved forest area, the combined team led by Range Officer Nongmaiching Forest N Prabin waylaid and overpowered them.
State officials have recently taken measures upon reports that the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest under the Central Forest Division has been subject to mass hunting of wild animals and birds, smoking of hunted animals, and construction of tree platforms for hunting.
This was discovered when a combined team of Forest field staff from the Irilbung Beat Office and other Beat offices, as well as members of the Joint Forest Management Committee, conducted a search operation in the reserved forest.
"Four persons, arms and ammunition seized from within the Nongmaiching RF used for hunting purposes today early in the morning by a combined team of Sanjenbam police and Nongmaiching forest," chief minister N Biren Singh wrote on Facebook.