TURA: Two men who shot and killed an endangered sambar deer in Nokrek national biosphere region have been arrested and sent to prison on Tuesday.
The two criminals, one of whom happened to be the son-in-law of the village nokma of Sakkalgre while the other was a nephew, had been on the run since Saturday after killing of the animal went viral on social media.
Citizens across Garo Hills had erupted in anger demanding stern punishment against the duo for the killing of the animal that for years was always found loitering outside the village of Baladinggre and never harmed by the villagers.
Both poachers, Melbin T Sangma and Apeal T Sangma, had fled their village after police and wildlife teams began searching for them. The carcass of the slain animal was confiscated by the wildlife department the same day.
However, with public fury out for their blood both poachers approached the wildlife officials and gave themselves up on Monday night.
“Both of them have been sent to judicial custody by the courts. We have also seized both weapons used by them in the killing,’ informed Wildlife DFO Arphius Ch Sangma.
It was revealed that both the weapons used by the poachers, a single barrel and a double barrel shotgun, belonged to an uncle and one of the poacher’s father.
