5 locals held for Film City poaching, lens on trade

MUMBAI: Five locals accused of poaching a female leopard and an adult male sambar in Film City were arrested and remanded to the forest department’s custody on Friday. The custody is for 10 days, said Jitendra Ramgaonkar, deputy conservator of forests, Thane. Sources said the accused may have collaborated with outsiders for the sale of animal articles. Forest department is probing the trade.

The five have been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, including Section 9 for prohibition of hunting, Section 39 which says wild animals are government property, Section 44 for dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence, Section 48 for purchase of animals and Section 48A for transportation of wildlife. They have been booked under Biological Diversity Act, 2002, too. The five, all aged between 20 and 32, live close to each other. While four are from Aarey Colony Goregaon, the fifth is from Santosh Nagar slums which abut Film City.



Following a tip-off, forest officials first picked up Rahul Habale (25) from his home. On questioning, he revealed names of Anil Bhoye (32) and Ganpat Dalvi (31). After taking them into custody, the forest department informed Dindoshi police and took them to the forest office at Thane. There they were separately interrogated. They revealed two more names, Dashrath Habale (32) and Mohan Bhoye (20). All five are menial labourers. Dalvi works for Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research located outside Film City.



On December 31, the forest control room was informed of sighting of the carcasses near two studios. Forest officials said it was surprising no one heard the cries of the trapped animals. “The distress cry of the sambar is so loud it is not possible no one heard it,” said Mayur Kamath, honorary state wildlife warden.