Suspected poachers sent to 3-day forest custody remand

Chandrapur: The JMFC court on Thursday remanded seven suspected poachers, including a woman, to three days of forest custody. The accused were detained in Mul for allegedly possessing illegal hunting equipment. The accused will remain in custody until February 15 as foresters are probing their possible involvement in wildlife crimes.
The seven detainees, all belonging to a nomadic tribe, were apprehended on Wednesday evening in a joint operation by forest officials and activists. During the raid at a makeshift settlement behind the Mul bus stand, the team recovered three metal jaw traps and wire snares, typically used to capture wild animals.
While the arrested individuals are currently under questioning, officials revealed that several other male members of the group were absent at the time of the raid and have not returned since. Authorities are actively investigating their whereabouts and possible links to a larger poaching network.
Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Vikas Tarse confirmed that the suspects are being questioned to trace their previous locations and determine whether any wildlife-related offences occurred there. "Since they are part of a nomadic tribe and frequently move from place to place, we are verifying their whereabouts before arriving in Mul and whether any illegal hunting activities took place in that area," he said.