In a tragic incident, a teenager was blown into pieces after an explosive-filled bag carried by the victim exploded during an accident in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district of Karnataka.
When the incident took place, the victim and his friend were on a hunt. The boys belonged to the seminomadic Hakki-Pakki tribe in Shivamogga district.
Girish Rajput, a 17-year-old was along with his friend Shivakumar Rajput, who was also injured in the incident. Reports state that for about three months, the two were camping in the Khanapur forests to hunt wild boar for meat trading.
The practice is normally used to protect the crop from wild boars and sometimes even for meat trading. There are several risks involved and the practice is now followed by very few people.
A bag full of explosives
The duo was on a motorbike carrying a bag that had 30 explosive balls. They crashed into a tractor in the morning and the tractor ran over Girish, who was the riding pillion. The impact triggered an explosion and Girish was blown to pieces.
A case under the Arms Act has been filed by the police against Shivakumar. At present, he is admitted to a hospital and hasn't been taken into custody.
Despite ban, people commit crime
According to the police, there is a ban on wild meat but some people still indulge in this practice. Poachers secretly visit forest ranges like Ramadurga, Khanapur, Bhimgad and lure wild boars with meat bombs to hunt them for meat.
According to a report SP Laxman Nimbaragi was quoted as saying, "Poachers visit forest regions in Uttara Kannada and Belagavi districts in September when the paddy crop is up for harvesting. During the night, they make meat bombs using gunpowder and gelatin sticks and set them on wild boars' way. When the boars fell for the bait, the balls explode killing them. The hunters collect the meat in the morning."
The explosives often injure and kill several animals; accidents happen and claim human lives too. According to sources, two chemicals, mainly sourced from fireworks units, are mixed together and put in a small metal container in paste form with small stones, metal pieces of steel balls used in ball bearings at the first stage. The container is tightly wrapped with threads as it dries. This is then wrapped with things ranging from rotten rat skin to meat waste to attract wild boar.
