5day remand for poachers

Source:

Imphal, February 02 2013 : Two poachers who were caught red handed while dressing a rare and endangered Sangai inside Keibul Lamjao National Park yesterday have been remanded to police custody for five days.

Meanwhile, many environmentalists have expressed serious concern over poaching and killing the rare State animal inside a protected park and they asserted that poachers of endangered wild animals like Sangai should be awarded exemplary punishment.

A high-ranking official of Forest Department said that the two poachers namely Laishram Kripa and Heisnam Lukhoi were produced before the Court of CJM Bishnupur today and the Court remanded them to police custody for five days.

The Court directed Forest Department to preserve two kilo-grams of the dressed Sangai meat and disposed off the remaining parts by burning.

Laishram Kripa was already slapped a fine for intruding inside Keibul Lamjao National Park earlier.

Killing wild animal inside a protected park or sanctuary is punishable under the Wildlife Act and the culprits can be sentenced to prison for three to seven years in addition to fine of not less than Rs 10,000 .

Sangai was declared the State animal in 1989 and Keibul Lamjao National Park was notified as protected sanctuary of the rare and endangered deer species.

Encroachment into the park or removal of boundary pillars are punishable offences.

Rewards would be provided if people inform the department when they see any one committing offences punishable under the Wildlife Act.

Environmentalist Dr RK Ranjan said that the two poachers of rare Sangai should be awarded exemplary punishment.

He mentioned that a case is still pending in Court in connection with the shooting of a black buck deer by actor Salman Khan.

Such act of killing the State animal was a detestable criminal act which can be committed by people who have no cultural civilization.

State Wildlife Board member and IUCN Deer Specialist Group member Dr Kh Shamungou also demanded that befitting punishment should be given to the poachers who killed Sangai inside the protected park so that such grievous offence is not committed ever again.

via NorthEast Calling - NorthEast India | India's No1 online News Magazine http://www.necalling.com/5day-remand-for-poachers/