Cops, Maoists face threat from poachers

Police and Maoists who are playing hide and seek game in the forests for the last one year are facing life threat from unexpected quarters: poachers who put up live electric wires targeting the forest animals, and farmers who put up electric fences to protect their crops in the Adilabad district.

As many as 7 persons, some cattle and forest animals electrocuted at various places in this year when they came into contact with live electric wires put up targeting forest animals or to protect standing crops from the animals by farmers or poachers.

Police and Maoists are facing threat of coming into contact with live electric wires when they move in the forests.

It is learnt that police is taking all precautionary measures while combing in the forests and on the fringes of villages and avoiding combining in the night time.     

Police took the serious note of the poachers putting up live electric wires after they faced difficulties during the combing operations. Police warned the poachers of stern action if they were found setting up live electric wires.

Superintendent of police Dr Tarun Joshi appealed to farmers to adopt methods to protect their crops which will not cause any harm to people and warned of filing cases against the farmers and poachers who put up live electric wires.

‘Farmers will go to their agriculture fields even at night to water their standing crops and the farmers and cattle may face the danger from live electric wires, SP said and adding that setting up live elective wires to protect standing crops was against the law’.

Police intensified combing operations in the forests to flush out the Maoists following their increased movement in the forests and on the fringes of interior villages in the district.