Nine get 3-yr RI for killing blackbuck

A court in Solapur sentenced nine people to three-year rigorous imprisonment for killing a black buck and eating its meat. First Class Judicial Magistrate Archana S Nalge also awarded Rs 5,000 each to forest officials who arrested the accused from a forest in March 2011. Additional Public Prosecutor M I Beskar told the court that on March 21,2011,the forest officials at Solapur received a tip-off that some people had hunted a black buck at Tandulwadi forest in the district and eaten the meat. A team of forest officials arrested the accused and seized the meat from the spot. They also found the black bucks partially burnt horn and skin. The officers also seized a binocular,an ice box,a sickle and a cooker containing cooked flesh. The accused were held guilty under various sections of Wildlife Protection Act,1972,Arms Act and section 120B of the IPC.