Spotted deer was killed while drinkng water in C'garh

A spotted deer was allegedly killed by a group of villagers in Dharamjaigarh forest area of Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district, officials said today.
Seven villagers were arrested yesterday and the animal's carcass was seized from Fatehpur village, Dharamjaigarh Divisional Forest Officer A R Banajre said.
As per preliminary investigation, on Friday night, the spotted deer - a protected species under Wildlife Protection Act - had travelled to Fatehpur from an adjoining forest to quench its thirst.
When the deer was spotted wandering in the fields on the village outskirts, a group of locals chased it and shot it with a bow and arrow and then burnt it to death, the DFO said.

The forest department swung into action after getting information from a villager in this connection. They raided the spot and apprehended seven villagers and seized the carcass, he said.
Those arrested were identified as Dasharam Majhwar, Basant Ram Baiga, Ganpat Agariya, Sahdev Aagariya, Ramkumar Majhwar, Gangaram Majhwar and Sukhdev Majhwar, all natives of Fatehpur, he said.

However, another accused who took away the head and horns of the spotted deer is still at large, the DFO said adding that efforts are on to trace him.
A case under relevant sections of Wildlife Protection Act -1972 was registered against them.
All the seven accused were produced before a local court last evening which sent them in judicial remand for 14 days, he said adding that further probe was on into the matter.