Imphal, Feb. 6: Two poachers, released by court on bail recently, were punished by the banned Revolutionary Peoples? Front (RPF). The duo, caught with venison of the world?s most threatened deer species, locally known as ?sangai,? were shot in the leg late last night.
Salam Tomba and Ningthoujam Joykumar were caught killing a sangai (brow antlered deer) inside the Keibul Lamjao national park by local conservationist groups called the Environmental Social Reformation and Sangai Protection Forum.
After being handed over to the police, the duo was produced before Bishnupur district judicial magistrate. Though the wildlife wing filed a criminal case under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, they were released on bail after exacting a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.
In an appeal to the people, particularly those living around the national park, the RPF warned that in future, stringent punishment would be meted out without any warning if anybody was found guilty of killing the endangered species.
The recent incident has brought a big question mark on Manipur government?s seriousness in protecting the deer from extinction. Officials of the wildlife wing of the state forest department only gave a ?lukewarm? response to the arrest of the two poachers.
The government?s negative attitude to the plight of the sangai came to light when the court postponed the hearing of the case after wildlife officials failed to turn up on time.
Sangai, declared one of the world?s most threatened species, is found only in the Keibul Lamjao national park, the only floating sanctuary in the world. However, conservationists seem to be fighting a losing battle due to official negligence. The park, floating on the state?s Loktak lake, continues to be a favourite hunting ground for poachers.