Maharashtra: 3 held for planning to hunt in Ratnagiri forest

Three persons from Thane have been held in Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra allegedly with weapons along with a resident from there, a police official said.

They were held on June 16 after their car was found suspiciously parked in a jungle patch between Kadivali Baildev-Mandangad road, the Dapoli police station official said.

We found a rifle, 15 live cartridges cumulatively valued at Rs 2.03 lakh. The car has also been seized. They were planning to hunt in the area, he said. The four have been charged under Indian Penal Code and Arms Act provisions, he added.
 
Earlier, Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against a woman forest official and a driver in connection with an alleged bribe demand of Rs 60,000, an official said. As per the ACB, Varsharani Rajaram Kharmate (40), an assistant forester, and a private driver named Murlidhar Bodke (58) had demanded the money from a person for the issuance of permission to cut a few trees.