Pune: Wildlife Poaching Busted In Tikona Village: 52kg Meat, Firearms Seized; Accused Arrested By Forest Dept
Pune: Wildlife Poaching Busted In Tikona Village: 52kg Meat, Firearms Seized; Accused Arrested By Forest Dept
Based on credible intelligence, the Forest Department conducted a surprise raid on the morning of 13 May 2025 at “Sing Bungalow” in Tikona village, Maval Taluka, Pune district.
The operation led to the arrest of Sukhmit Harmit Singh Bhutaliya (age 26, resident of Tikona), from whose possession the following items were seized: approximately 52 kilograms of suspected wild animal meat, 2 firearms, live and used cartridges, and various tools and equipment used for hunting and skinning. A forest offence has been registered under Sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the accused will be presented before the Hon’ble Court following due legal procedure.
This operation was executed under the guidance of Tushar Chavan (Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune) and led by Mangesh Tate (Assistant Conservator of Forests). The core field team included Prakash Shinde (Range Forest Officer, Vadgaon), Seema Palodkar (Forester, Devle), Ganesh Mhetre (Forester, Khandala), Sandeep Arun (Forest Guard, Chavsar), and Shelke (Forest Guard, Devle).
The entire operation was conducted with utmost confidentiality and precision. A sample of the seized meat has been sent to the Wildlife Research Centre, Gorewada, Nagpur for forensic examination and species identification. The firearms and cartridges will be further investigated in coordination with police authorities to verify legal ownership and licenses.
The Forest Department appeals to the public to report any suspicious activity related to illegal hunting or wildlife trade to the nearest forest office or helpline. Protecting wildlife and forests is a shared responsibility. The information was released by Tushar Chavan, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune Division, Forest Department.
