Poachers Nabbed After Hunting Sambar Deer in Karnataka’s MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Late on Tuesday night, a small band of men slipped into the protected core of the Malai Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka and took aim at a sambar deer. The incident unfolded near the backwaters of the Uduthore Halla dam, tucked inside the Hanur buffer range.

According to the Forest Department, there were four people involved. They managed to bring the animal down, then began carving the meat on the spot. Their work was abruptly interrupted when a forest‑department team, acting on a tip‑off, swooped in for a surprise raid.

Startled by the sudden presence of officials, the men scattered into the surrounding scrub, abandoning the cut‑up meat. Rangers quickly secured the area, collected the leftover flesh and, as protocol demands, lodged a formal case against the perpetrators.

Now the department is combing the terrain, talking to locals and piecing together any clues that might point to the culprits. The chase underscores the persistent struggle to curb poaching in Chamarajanagar district, a region already bruised by a recent shoot‑out in the neighbouring Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary that claimed three lives.

While the forest officials continue their search, the episode serves as a stark reminder that protecting wildlife is an ongoing battle, one that requires vigilance, community cooperation and swift action whenever illegal hunting surfaces.