Residue of animal flesh collected from an axe like iron bar locally called tangi will soon be sent to the forensic science laboratory at Dehradun for ascertaining if the it is of deer or of another animal.
Stating this, the DFO of the Palamu Tiger Reserve, Premjit Anand said some residual flesh was found on a tangi seized by the tiger reserve officials at a village, Muru, which indicated some deer might have been killed for eating purpose.
The FSl test would confirm the suspicion. He said the residue would be sent in a day or two to Dehradun. The PTR officials had raided 5 to 6 houses at Muru on August 26 to detect any killing of a deer as officials had the input of one deer going stray in this village whose return to the jungle was unconfirmed.
In the course of the raid the tiger reserve officials found some traces of flesh on the tangi and some hair too suggesting of deer. The raid led to the seizure of a muzzle-loaded gun. However , there was no seizure of any deer skin, said Anand. No arrest has been made so far, admitted Anand. Straying of deer is quite common during times when there is scarcity of rain water in the reserve.
Any straying especially of deer is most fraught with dangers as killing is quite inevitable. Deer killing is done for meat bhaat feast and for its skin which is either sold or kept to be used as mat for perfroming poojas.
However, a year ago, in a rare case, a farmer saved a three-month old deer in a village in Chainpur. The calf had got separated from its mother and strayed in.