Man arrested for trespassing into core forest zone of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve with gun

Kolhapur: The forest department arrested a man for allegedly trespassing into the core area of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Amba forest range with a firearm and other hunting equipment, officials said.

A 12-bore gun, live cartridges, a head torch and other materials were seized from his possession.

The accused, identified as Anil Jadhav, a resident of Nerlekarwadi in Shahuwadi tehsil of Kolhapur district, was apprehended during a night patrol based on a tip-off.

“Based on confidential information received by the forest department, while patrolling at night in Survey 1029 at Kerle in the Amba forest area, a person was found roaming suspiciously with a torch on his head and a gun in his hand. He was immediately detained and then arrested. A case has been registered against the man,” said Pradeep Kokitkar, the Amba range forest officer.

Kokitkar added that after medical examination, the accused was produced before a court and forest custody was sought till Monday, May 18.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of field director Tushar Chavan, deputy director Snehlata Patil, assistant conservator of forest Sandesh Patil, and range forest officer Pradeep Kokitkar, along with forest guards Suresh Charaple, Rahul Patil, Manisha Desai and Anjali Navale.