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Thirty-two wild boars died of excessive heat and suffocation after poachers crammed 127 animals into two vehicles while smuggling them into Punjab from Rajasthan, police Friday said.
The Ludhiana rural police, following specific inputs, rescued the boars, loaded in two pick-up vehicles, and arrested six accused, including five from Rajasthan who were ferrying the animals.
The animals were allegedly being brought to Ludhiana for meat and other purposes, police said, adding the sixth accused is a Ludhiana resident who was allegedly escorting the vehicles on a two-wheeler. However, all of them were immediately released on bail.
Sub-inspector Pyara Singh, investigating officer in the case, said they had received inputs that a gang of poachers was ferrying wild boars from Rajasthan in two vehicles. “The vehicles were apprehended while moving from Raikot towards Ludhiana. A man on a motorcycle was escorting them. We called a wildlife team and when counted, 127 wild boars were found crammed inside the two vehicles. However, due to excessive heat and overloading, 32 animals had died. A team of veterinary doctors were called in to check the 95 boars that were still alive,” said the sub-inspector.
He further said foul smell was emanating from both vehicles. “Timely intervention helped in saving the other 95 boars. The animals were caught from jungles of Rajasthan and were meant for illegal sale in Punjab for meat and other purposes. Most of them were sub-adults,” he said.
The accused were identified as Manohar and Murlidhar Teji of Ganganagar, Bajrang Lal and Anil of Bikaner, and Sonu of Jodhpur — all in Rajasthan. The vehicles were being escorted by Johny of Model Town, Ludhiana, who was on a bike.
An FIR under sections 2, 9, 39, 48, 48-A, 50, and 51 of Wildlife Protection Act, 11-A of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and 428, 429 of IPC has been registered against the accused at Sudhar police station.
Pritpal Singh, range officer, forest and wildlife department, said that the rescued boars have been shifted to the rescue centre near Neelon where they were being taken care of.
“We are feeding them potatoes and other nutritious feed for their speedy recovery. They will be released in the wild after the court allows it. Since they have been rescued in Punjab, most probably they won’t be returned to Rajasthan,” he said.
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