Belagavi: A gang involved in smuggling the horns of Sambar deer were nabbed by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) special investigation team near here. The sleuths arrested 5 smugglers for illegal possession of valuable antlers weighing 11.25 kg at Belagundi village in Belagavi.
The arrested have been identified as Nagesh Madar (23), Ramachandra Dalavi (26), both residents of Manaturga village, Khanapur taluk; Ravindra Kolkar (27), a resident of Hadalaga and Parashram Nilajkar (23) and Aman Kanabargi (20), both residents of Chapgaon, Khanapur taluk.
Sambar (Rusa unicor) is one of the largest members of deer family. It is a native to the Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia. IUCN Red List classifies the species as vulnerable. In India, the species is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Police Commissioner D C Rajappa told reporters that Madar, Dalavi and Kolkar had illegally killed Sambar and harvested the horns to sell in the international market. They also painted the Sambar horns white to earn bigger profits by disguising the antlers as elephant tusks. He added that, Nilajkar and Kanabargi had come to buy the horns from the trio when they were caught.
The police commissioner also said that a team headed by CCB Inspector Chandrakant L T was formed on receiving credible information. The team was guided in the operation by DCP (Law and Order) Seema Latkar and DCP (Crime and Traffic) Mahaning Nandgavi.
