RAJKOT: Six persons including a scribe were arrested for illegally shooting a video and still photography of lions in Kutiya of Gir forest in Visavadar range of Junagadh district on Sunday.
The journalist, identified as Hiren Dhakan, and his cameraman, identified as Dharmesh Khachar, admitted themselves to Junagadh Civil Hospital and leveled allegations against the forest department that the foresters had beaten them up. The other accused were identified as Balakdas Devmurari alias Tapali, Natwar Bhuva, Nitin Raiyani and Dahya Dhinoya.
"The accused illegally entered into the protected area of the Gir forest and were filming the lions. We have booked them for illegal entry into the protected area, harassment to the lions, illegal video shooting and still photography of the lions.
We have seized three motorcycles, a movie camera and four cellphones from the accused. We have sent the camera and the cellphones to forensic science laboratory for examination," said a senior forest officer from the Visavadar range forest.
Meanwhile, into the allegations of manhandling made by Dhakan and Khachar, Visavadar police station officials have gone to the Junagadh Civil Hospital to record their statements.
"We are yet to record the statements of Dhakan and Khachar. If there is any substance to their allegations, we will book the officials for the crime," said an official from Visavadar police station.
The journalist, identified as Hiren Dhakan, and his cameraman, identified as Dharmesh Khachar, admitted themselves to Junagadh Civil Hospital and leveled allegations against the forest department that the foresters had beaten them up. The other accused were identified as Balakdas Devmurari alias Tapali, Natwar Bhuva, Nitin Raiyani and Dahya Dhinoya.
"The accused illegally entered into the protected area of the Gir forest and were filming the lions. We have booked them for illegal entry into the protected area, harassment to the lions, illegal video shooting and still photography of the lions.
We have seized three motorcycles, a movie camera and four cellphones from the accused. We have sent the camera and the cellphones to forensic science laboratory for examination," said a senior forest officer from the Visavadar range forest.
Meanwhile, into the allegations of manhandling made by Dhakan and Khachar, Visavadar police station officials have gone to the Junagadh Civil Hospital to record their statements.
"We are yet to record the statements of Dhakan and Khachar. If there is any substance to their allegations, we will book the officials for the crime," said an official from Visavadar police station.
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