Duo arrested for killing endangered sambhar deer in West Garo Hills

Guwahati: Two persons have been arrested in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya for killing an endangered sambhar deer, police informed.

The Wildlife Department and the police arrested the two persons on August 3 night and a court sent them to 14-days judicial custody on Tuesday.

The sambar deer is listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2008.

Wildlife authorities and police were on the lookout for the poaching duo after they were caught on camera hunting the deer near Baladinggre village in the Nokrek Biosphere in West Garo Hills district.

The police seized a rifle used in the killing of the deer from them.

The superintendent of police, West Garo Hills, Dr MGR Kumar said that apart from the Wildlife Act, an investigation under the Arms Act has been initiated against the two persons.

'We are investigating the arms that they used to kill the deer and will file a separate case on the matter,' said the SP.