The Thane Crime Branch (CB) recently arrested a Sushant Bhawar for stealing a camera trap that was placed by forest officials in the Yeoor range of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to record small wild cats movement. In a related case, an image of Bhawar was also caught in the camera trap with him holding an air gun over his shoulder along with a few more people in his company.

The Thane police are now investigating, in a joint operation with the forest department, if the accused could have been involved for alleged poaching in and around SGNP.

Upon discovering Bhawar's images in the trap, the forest department decided to let it remain at the spot for a longer time in a bid to find out what Bhawar and the group of people were doing at the protected area, and if they were involved in poaching. After about three to four days, when the forest officials went to collect the camera, it was stolen. An FIR was then registered against Bhawar on December 24 for stealing the same.

"The camera trap was again installed on December 20 near Patona Pada inside Yeoor. But it went missing on December 24 after which we registered a case and kept searching for the accused as well as followed up with the cops until the accused were arrested," a forest official from SGNP said. He added that they took custody of the accused on Monday evening and will now begin an investigation.

CAUGHT RED-HANDED

The forest department decided to let the camera trap remain at the spot for a longer time in a bid to find out what Bhawar and the group of people were doing at the protected area, and if they were involved in poaching