Nalgonda: Forest department officials faced intense political pressure to remove the name of the main accused in the poaching of five spotted deer at Neeladri Urban Park in Sathupally, Khammam district. The main accused, Mecha Raghu, is the son of the brother of former Ashwaraopet MLA Mecha Nageswara Rao. It is learnt that Nageswara Rao had adopted Raghu.
According to forest department sources, Raghu possessed a licensed gun and his movement inside the urban park was recorded on CCTV cameras on November 24. After the poaching incidents came to light, he surrendered his weapon to the Aswaraopet police, citing the Model Code of Conduct in force for the gram panchayat elections. Outsourcing watcher Gopi Krishna is alleged to have assisted the poachers and went absconding after the incident surfaced. Another person, Sriram Prasad, who used to visit the park for walking, was also named as an accused. Raghu’s friend Bharat was reportedly involved in the poaching of the spotted deer as well.
The poachers took advantage of the wildlife moving out of the dense forest area into the urban park due to the loud blasting sounds in the adjacent Singareni Collieries mines.
A tip-off helped forest department officials identify and arrest the four accused in the case. Officials said they faced immense pressure from certain political leaders who attempted to shield Raghu from legal action.
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