The forest department busted a racket involved in wild boar smuggling from Rajasthan by arresting a resident of Dholewal and found 49 live and six dead boars stuffed in a pick-up jeep. Accused Manjit Singh of Hisar, Haryana, is an aide of Khanna Kumar of Balmiki Colony, Dholewal, — who is already facing trial in a similar case.
Police captured Manjit on October 3 near Jalaldiwal village on the Raikot-Barnala road following a tip-off. He was driving a Mahindra Bolero pick-up jeep with 55 wild boars, six of which died. At the time, the driver said he was transporting domestic pigs, after which the department took the animals into custody and ordered tests to verify the claim.
Giving details, Sub-Inspector Gulab Singh said tests confirmed that the accused was transporting wild boars caught by the gang members from Barmer in Rajasthan. The Sadar Raikot police have charged the accused under relevant sections of the IPC, Wildlife Protection Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
