Palghar: After tribal man shot dead; cops demand more patrols

The murder of a tribal man during a hunting trip in the hilly forest of Manor taluka Palghar district has prompted the superintendent of police to urge forest officials to intensify night patrolling to curb rampant poachingldquoWhat happened in Manor was deeply disturbing We are in the process of writing to forest officials in Palghar requesting enhanced night patrols to stop illegal huntingrdquo said Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb PatilMangesh Ramesh Vartha son of the deceasedPalghar a tribaldominated district sees widespread use of foot and neck snares to trap wild pigs boars rabbits grounddwelling birds monitor lizards bats and other wildlife according to honorary wildlife warden Vaishali ChawhanldquoThe forest officials never conduct night patrolling If they did tribals wouldnrsquot be setting up these traps that injure not just wildlife but also cows dogs and birds We regularly receive calls to rescue injured animalsrdquo Chawhan saidThe lane leading to the hilly region where the armed tribals had gone for a hunting tripShe added that tribals skilled in traditional hunting methods target monitor lizards wild rabbits pigs turtles bats and owls ldquoForest officials should work with local NGOs to raise awareness about the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 But unfortunately nothing is being donerdquoChawhan also highlighted that illegal booze parties in the forest contribute to the problem ldquoPatrolling is necessary not just to prevent hunting but also to stop people from venturing into the jungle at night for drinking sessionsrdquoRamesh Vartha the deceased right Sagar Naresh Hadal the man who fired at the deceased PicsHanif PatelHunting trip gone wrongLast month 13 men armed with three gunsmdashincluding two unlicensed countrymade weaponsmdashentered a hilly forest near Borsheti village in Manor taluka to hunt wild boars One of them a farmer lent his licensed gun to the group said SP PatilAmong them was 55yearold Ramesh Vartha whose bloodstained body was later found deep inside the forest Unlike the others he arrived late via a different route and was dressed in black His companion Sagar Naresh Hadal 28 mistook him for a target and fired two rounds killing him on the spotAll the accused arrested so far PicsHanif PatelRealising their mistake the hunters fled leaving his body behind When Vartha didnrsquot return home on January 29 his wife Amita searched for him before filing a missing person complaint at Manor police station on February 3When the detection team of Manor police comprising Inspector Ranveer Vyas PSI Sangram Patil Constables Rajesh Kachare Ayub Shaikh and Umesh Wagh started to quiz those who had gone hunting in the jungle the hunters spilt the beans and the bloodstained body of Vartha was recovered from the jungle ldquoMy father would regularly hunt wild animalsrdquo his son Mangesh Vartha a brick kiln worker told middayldquoIf illegal hunting continues it endangers not just wildlife but also trekkers tourists and researchersrdquo Patil warned emphasising the need for night patrollingPatil also added that all the accused were under the influence of alcohol which they illegally brewed at home ldquoWe are taking strict actions against all these illegal practicesrdquo he saidMeanwhile Jawhar talukarsquos Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr Saipun Shaikh who also oversees Manor said ldquoWe have intensified night patrols since the incident Our survey found no injured animals possibly because most wildlife has migrated due to ongoing development in the areardquoSo far police have arrested 10 of the 12 accused and confiscated all three weapons The process to revoke the firearm license of the legally owned weapon has begun and a search is underway for the remaining suspectsBooze and bushmeatldquoA snare is just a wire loop often made from motorcycle brake wire that tightens around an animal as it passes throughrdquo said wildlife warden Vaishali Chawhan ldquoAfter trapping animals hunters feast on the bushmeat to spice up their booze partiesrdquo