Animal parts, arms, ammo recovered

  • 17/04/2008

  • Assam Tribune (Guwahati)

The Forest department in association with Dispur police today recovered a huge quantity of animal skins and body parts along with arms and ammunition from a house of one of the accomplices of the veterinary officer Dr Shivaji Baruah a senior veterinary officer, who was arrested for killing a barking deer on Tuesday last. Shivaji Barua, a veterinarian of deputy director rank, was arrested for killing the barking deer at Amsang wildlife Sanctuary. While the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court remanded Barua to judicial custody, two of his accomplices were absconding. Police said Barua has been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act. Sources said that the Forest department, in association with the Dispur police, raided the house of one Manu Kashyap alias Bezbaruah at Dispur, where they managed to recover a huge quantity of illegal items. Kashyap, according to police sources, is one of the accomplices of the arrested veterinarian. "During the raid, we have recovered two deer horns, one crocodile skin, three teeth of wild pigs, one pair of bison horn, one bison skin, elephant foot with nails, and several kgs of deer meat kept in different packets,' the sources informed. "We have also recovered 3 rifles, two metal-headed arrow, magazines and two pistol covers from his house,' the sources pointed out, adding that some pistol ammunition was also recovered from the house. "The deer meat recovered from the refrigerator of the house would be sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory at Kahilipara for verification,' stated the sources, adding that some cooked meat hasalso been recovered. "The recovery indicated that the veterinary official and his accomplices were part of a racket that has been trading in wildlife parts and skins,' said the sources. Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Debojit Deori said that the Forest department sought the help of the city police regarding the case and a joint raid yielded and the recovery. The search is on to trace Kashyap, Deori said.