AI system alert helps bust poachers in Visapur forest

Chandrapur: Swift action by forest officials and police, prompted by an artificial intelligence (AI) system alert, led to the seizure of a country-made bharmar gun, a porcupine carcass, and a two-wheeler from suspected poachers in Visapur forest under the Ballarpur range on Sunday morning. The Garuda AI-based surveillance system detected illegal human movement with a firearm inside the forest in the wee hours of the day, and alerted forest officials. A team of foresters led by ACF Aadeshkumar Shengade and RFO Ballarpur Naresh Bhoware, along with personnel from Ramnagar police station, was deployed on the road to intercept the poachers. Around 5.45am, the joint team intercepted three individuals riding back from the jungle on Babupeth-Junona road. The suspects abandoned their bike and fled into the darkness, leaving behind their bike and belongings. On checking their belongings, foresters recovered a country made bharmar gun and a porcupine carcass with bullet wound. Forest officials later, based on intelligence inputs, reached the residence of one Mukaddarsingh Tak in Junona Phata area of city. During the search, an air gun and weapons used in poaching of wild animals were recovered from his house. Further investigation also helped identify the three absconding poachers as Samandar Singh Tak, Akshay Madkam and Gurupreet Singh Tank, all residents of Babupeth locality here. Offences against all four accused under the relevant sections of Wildlife Protection act 1972 were registered. A search operation is underway to apprehend the remaining suspects. The crackdown comes in the wake of heightened vigilance by the forest department following a red alert issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) after recent busting of a poaching nexus in Rajura range under the Central Chanda division. Further investigations are being led by ACF Aadeshkumar Shengade.