THE TIMES OF INDIA
Naresh Mitra, TNN
Jul 28, 2015

GUWAHATI: Three poachers, who would lace venison with highly toxic pesticides to prevent putrefaction and committed a host of other wildlife crime at the Nameri National Park and Tiger Reserve, were convicted by a district court recently.

The Sonitpur additional sessions judge, S Das, has sentenced Arjun Basumatary, Bijoy Basumatary and Debeswar Pogag to seven years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each under the Wildlife (Protection) (Assam Amendment) Act 2009.

Nameri reserve field director and divisional forest officer of the western Assam wildlife division, Rajendra G Garawad, said this is probably the first instance in the state when three poachers have been convicted under the Wildlife (Protection) (Assam Amendment) Act. Garawad said the verdict came within 14 months of their arrest, making it one of the fastest conviction cases against poachers.

Among the three, Pogag was one of the most wanted poachers who had been evading arrest for years by shuttling his base between Sonitpur and southern states like Karnataka and Kerala. He added that apart from committing various wildlife crimes, the three were involved in killing various deer species at Nameri.

Read more