Shivamogga, 4 September

Forest officials in Shivamogga uncovered a poaching operation in Nagavalli village, Sagara taluk, where two spotted deer were killed by illegal electrocution. The animals were butchered, and preparations for cooking the meat were underway.

The forest department arrested three suspects—Banu, Shivu, and Mahesh—and launched a search for the main accused, Shaji, along with Rama and Sridhar, who remain at large. DCF Prasanna Krishna Patagar confirmed, “The Forest Department received credible information that two male spotted deer had been killed by electrocution on agricultural land.”

The suspects had buried the carcasses to hide evidence, and a case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was registered.