Nagarahole Tiger Reserve staff arrested Ramegowda of Habaturu Koppalu village, Periyapattana taluk, Mysore District on Sunday, March 13. A forest offence case – FOC 08/2021-22) – has been filed against the notorious poacher who has been hunting with illegal weapons for 20 years.
Locals compare him with forest brigand Veerappan. He had shot and killed a sambar deer in the Anechowkur range, where a tiger had been poached in February, 2022. Ramegowda is alleged to have had killed over 700 deer in Nagarhole over a period of 20 years. Despite forest staff trying to capture him he had evaded arrest on several occasions.
It is alleged that he and his fellow hunters had a connect with someone in the Periyapatna police station. It is alleged that whenever the forest department sought police assistance in arresting Ramegowda, he would be alerted of what was to come. The Director General of Police should look into the matter in the interest of conservation. It is reported that there are at least 20 illegal weapons in the village. The poachers would hunt twice a week, at times bringing home more than one deer for consumption. NGOs have made several attempts to convince Ramegowda to give up poaching. But to no avail.
Considering that wildlife poaching convictions are barely one per cent in the country, Ramegowda could get a bail, unless a watertight case is registered.
FB POST: Joeseph Hoover
