RAIPUR: A four-year-old female nilgai was brutally hacked to death with a sharp weapon by villagers in the Pithora forest range of Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district on Monday. The animal, exhausted and gasping for breath after being chased down by a pack of dogs, was killed while the perpetrators prepared to cook its meat for consumption.
Forest department officials arrested two villagers and launched a search for six others suspected to be involved in the illegal hunt. According to the forest department, the incident occurred in Shantinagar, Sukhipali, near forest compartment number 234 under East Pithora circle. Acting on a tip-off, a team reached the spot and found the nilgai dead.
A preliminary examination by a veterinary team suggested that the animal had been killed in an illegal hunt. Two legs of the nilgai had been chopped off, and injury marks caused by 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 said six more persons are suspected to be involved, and efforts are on to trace them.
A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Forest Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. Officials said 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 DFO Mayank Pandey.
The incident highlights the ongoing threat to wildlife in the region, despite legal protections. The forest department has urged the public to report any such illegal activities to help conserve the state's biodiversity.
