Mangaluru : The forest department and Panambur rowdy squad, two persons were arrested for possession of blackbuck skin at Tannirbhavi road.

The accused who have been remanded to judicial custody are identified as Ramesh Mallappa Yadavad (51) and Raju Biradar (47), both residents of Indi taluk in Bijapur district.

Two persons were seen holding something in a plastic bag near the drain at Kudremukha junction, along the road leading towards Kasaba Bengre near Tannirbhavi. When the duo saw the police approaching along the road, the immediately discarded the plastic bag and fled. Suspicious of this behaviour, the police gave chased the duo, captured them and under interrogation it was revealed that the hidden within the rice in the plastic bag was the skin of a blackbuck.

The operation was conducted under the leadership of Mangaluru city north sub division ACP Srinivas R Gowda. Panambur Inspector Satyanarayana, rowdy squad ASI Mohammed, Kushal Maniyani, Satish M, Vijaya Kanchan, Esac, Sharan Kali and Mangaluru forest zone officials were part of the operation.