Silchar: Forest department officials have arrested seven poachers during a raid in the Adamtilla area of the Patharia forest reserve in Sribhumi district.Acting on a tip-off about illegal activity inside the restricted zone, a team led by range officer Manash Jyoti Saikia launched an operation on Wednesday afternoon and apprehended seven individuals who had allegedly entered the reserve forest to hunt wild animals.The accused have been identified as Nazrul Islam, Sahab Uddin, Ahmed Hossain, Lutfur Rahman, Imran Hossain, Akbar Hossain and Habibulla.Forest officials said the group was found setting up large hunting nets and traps, reportedly targeting deer. The team seized a massive hunting net along with three motorcycles and a car from the spot.A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act. The seven were detained overnight at Patharkandi police station and interrogated.During preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly admitted to planning to hunt wild deer, sources said.On Thursday, they were produced before the chief judicial magistrate’s court, which remanded them to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.
