2 held for killing bison

ALIPURDUAR/BANARHAT: A fully grown bison was shot dead. Two persons were arrested by the forest office for attempting to sell its meat. The forest officials have launched a manhunt for an absconder who is connected with this incident.

The arrested persons have been identified as Santa Bahadur Rai (34years) and Sukhman Rai (65 years). Both are residents of the Central Dooars Tea Estate in Kalchini block. The bison meat and carcass were recovered from their residence. They found a pot of bison meat inside the house and seized it. The firearm used in the killing of the bison was also recovered.

The Deputy Field Director of the Buxa Tiger Reserve, Parveen Kaswan, stated: “The bison was killed intentionally as part of a planned conspiracy. The Forest Department has filed a case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 against the two individuals involved in the bison killing. The court ordered a 14-day judicial custody for the two accused when they were produced at the Alipurduar court on Monday.”

In another incident a man was seriously injured in an attack by a bison on Monday at the Nagrakata block of Dooars. According to locals, the

bison had entered the village from the nearby forest of Moraghat Range.