India: Two members of a gang of people who killed fruit bats, and allegedly sold their meat and oil extracted from them saying it can be used to cure asthma and joint pain, have been arrested by the Thane Forest Department's territorial wing at Ambernath.

Sources from the Forest Department said that some locals are involved in selling bat meat illegally in the black market.
On September 2, Rejil Menon, a resident of Ambernath, saw some people kill bats hanging on a tree, using a pointed object that was tied to the end of a bamboo stick.

Menon said, "I was shocked to see the way in which the bats, which are a species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, were being brutally killed. I informed the Forest Department and the people were caught red-handed."

Menon helped the officials nab the two-gang members by posing as a customer on September 4.

"I approached the poachers and finalised a deal. A trap was laid with the help of Forest Department personnel and at around 10.30-11.00 pm the poachers came with the bats and they were caught," said Menon.

An official from the Forest Department said the two accused were arrested and produced before the local court which sent them to Forest custody till 7.

(Source: Mid-day)