Correspondent
PASIGHAT, Aug 19: A contingency staffer of the state’s wildlife department was arrested for his alleged involvement in wildlife hunting at the Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (DAWS) in East Siang district.
Reportedly, the contingency staffer, identified as Nirmasing Pertin was posted in Borguli WL range and actively helped a group of professional poachers in entering the sanctuary to hunt wild animals there in early June this year.
Divisional Forest Officer (WL) of Pasighat T Taga said that one of his contingency staff “Nirmasing Pertin was arrested on charges of wildlife hunting.”
He stated that his (Pertin) involvement with the wildlife crime was ascertained after a month-long departmental inquiry.
“Accused Pertin, who was accompanied by a four-member team of professional poachers, killed a wild deer
inside the DAWS and consumed its meat during the first week of June this year. Based on a confidential report, we conducted a departmental inquiry and found his active involvement in wildlife hunting. Accordingly, an FIR has been lodged with the police,” the DFO informed.
A case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered at the Pasighat police station against Pertin and four other poachers.
Following Pertin’s revelation, the Pasighat unit police earlier arrested one Niranjan Regon (Kongkul) and Yago Perme (Padan village) from Mebo area. They arrested one Kanduram from Namsing village on Tuesday night.
The fifth accused, Omolsing Pangging is said to be absconding.
Without divulging much on the investigation, the police here said that the four arrested persons are presently kept under police custody for interrogation.
In the meantime, reports also came in that Pertin, who lost his job for the alleged wildlife hunting charges, is set to challenge the dismissal order in court.
Pertin had been working as contingency staff in the department for around three years.