October 26, 2025

Navi Mumbai: What a sizzling wildlife drama in Raigad! Police arrested a 49-year-old man named Jayendra Bhagat for having meat from a rare, protected animal — the barking deer, also known as Indian Munjtac. The barking deer is a special species protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act. The story took a twist late Thursday evening. Acting on a secret tip-off, a team from Alibaug and Mandwa coastal police stations raided Bhagat's house in Vadgaon, Alibaug taluka. What did they find? Exactly 1 kilogram of barking deer meat snug inside his refrigerator! The forest officials from Alibaug confirmed – yes, the meat was truly from a barking deer. API Sarita Musale of Alibaug police, leading the raid, said, "The arrested accused has been identified as Jayendra Bhagat. As the barking deer is a protected species in India under Schedule-3 of the Wildlife Protection Act, and hunting, poaching, and selling their meat are illegal, the accused Bhagat has been booked under the provision of the Wildlife Protection Act." She added the crucial detail – an informer had tipped off police that Bhagat hunted the barking deer inside the Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, lying on the border of Roha and Murud talukas. Using this lead, police swooped in with a raid and found the meat. But Bhagat tells a different story. He said he never hunted the animal himself; instead, he claimed that an adivasi man gave him the meat. Police gave both the meat and Bhagat to the Range Forest Officer in Alibaug to continue the probe. Mandwa police's PI Somnath Lande shared, "Since Bhagat said the meat was given by an adivasi named Navnath Waghmare, we questioned Waghmare. But he denied Bhagat's story." The story doesn't stop here! API Musale revealed Bhagat isn’t new to trouble. In 2022, he was booked under the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, which deals with preventing public disorder. Then in 2023, Bhagat faced charges under IPC for serious crimes like intentional hurt, criminal intimidation, and provoking breaches of peace. This case shines a spotlight on wildlife crimes and the fierce efforts of Raigad police and forest officers to protect India's precious critters. Will the mystery of the barking deer meat get solved soon? Stay tuned for the next thrilling update!

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Tags: Barking deer, Wildlife protection, Poaching, Raigad police, Wildlife protection act, Alibaug,