Bandipora : Law Enforcing Agencies in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district has launched a massive campaign against hunters and has seized more than a dozen punt guns from the villages around Wular Lake.

Deputy Director Forest Protection Force Bandipora Aizaz Ahmad Pajwari told Kashmir Convener that as many as 12 punt guns used by hunters to kill wetland birds were seized from Saderkoot, Kulhama and Garoora villages of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district in last two years.

He said based on a tip off regarding the use of punt guns in Wular Lake for killing certain bird species, anti-poaching teams raided several locations during which 12 punt guns were seized till date, however poachers fled from the spot.

Punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in wetlands to shoot large numbers of waterfowl for commercial hunting.

He said Forest protection force have intensified their surveillance operations in and around Wular Lake to stop illegal hunting and provide protection to winged residents of the Wular Lake.

The official said that the use of punt guns by poachers has been reduced during the current year with extra efforts put forth by the sleuths of Anti-poaching Forest Protection Force.

Pajwari said that a case had been filed in accordance with the pertinent legal provisions and that an additional investigation was ongoing.

The use of punt guns in and near the water body is prohibited by the authorities, but locals claim that hunters are nevertheless using locally built firearms to kill wetland birds without impunity.(CNI) Current News of India