Foresters in Alipurduar arrested two persons on Sunday for allegedly poaching a gaur (Indian bison) and taking away its meat for consumption.

Search is on for a third allegedly involved in the incident.

Sources said that during routine patrolling, the forest guards spotted the carcass of a gaur in the Panaforest range area of the Buxa Tiger Reserve. They found that the animal was shot dead and a portion of its flesh was missing.

They initiated a probe and also engaged a sniffer dog to trace the poachers. Eventually, foresters found that the alleged poachers were from Central Dooars tea estate of Kalchini block.

A team conducted a raid and arrested Sukhman Rai and Santa Bahadur Rai. An improvised firearm and some gaur meat were also seized during the raid.

“We learnt that a third person was with them. We are in search of him. The duo have been booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act,” said Parveen Kaswan, deputy field director (west) of Buxa Tiger Reserve.

On Monday, the duo were produced at a local court, which sent them in judicial custody for 14 days.

Gaur injures villager

A gaur (Indian bison) strayed inside a village in Nagrakata of Jalpaiguri on Monday and injured a person.

Foresters said the animal from Moraghat forest entered Purba Kherkata village, from where it reached Dhandlasimla-Daspara. It attacked Chaitu Roy, a resident who came close to the animal.

Till Monday evening, teams from Binnaguri wildlife squad and Nathua forest range were trying to steer the gaur back to the forest.