A four-year-old female nilgai was brutally hacked to death by a group of villagers in the Pithora forest range of Mahasamund district on Monday. The animal, exhausted and gasping for breath after being chased by a pack of dogs, was killed with a sharp weapon.
Arrests and Investigation
While the villagers were preparing to cook the meat, a forest department team arrived and arrested two individuals. A search is underway for six others suspected to be involved in the illegal hunt. The incident occurred in Shantinagar, Sukhipali, near forest compartment number 234 under East Pithora circle.
Details of the Incident
Acting on a tip-off, forest officials reached the spot and found the nilgai dead. A preliminary examination by a veterinary team confirmed that the animal had been killed in an illegal hunt. Two legs of the nilgai had been chopped off, and injury marks from a sharp weapon were found on its neck.
Forest officials detained and questioned two villagers — Johit Das, 30, and Surendra, 32, both residents of Sukhipali. Officials stated that six more persons are suspected to be involved, and efforts are ongoing to trace them. A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Forest Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.
Postmortem and Legal Action
The animal's postmortem was conducted by the veterinary team, after which the carcass was disposed of as per rules. The action was carried out by Mahasamund Divisional Forest Officer Mayank Pandey.
