Mundgod, dhns: Forest Department staff has arrested a man on charges of killing a male deer, which was trapped in a net laid in a sugarcane field, and distributing its meat.

The accused was identified as Siddappa Shivaputrappa Agadi (32) of Basapur village.

When the deer was eating grass grown in the sugarcane field, its antlers got stuck in the net. On seeing the helpless situation of the deer, the accused along with two others killed in and distributed the meat among themselves. After the forest department received information, they searched at Siddappa's house and found deer meat.

Later he revealed that he had hidden the deer's antlers, tail and pelt in the field. The forest officials seized it later. "When we raided the accused's home, he tried to spill the curry made of deer meat in the backyard of his house. But he was caught and he was arrested along with the meat", said forest official Yallanayaka Hamani.

The other two accused went absconding. A case has been registered against them as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.