Jaisalmer: The charred remains of a critically endangered caracal, allegedly poached near the Shahgarh border area of Jaisalmer district, were recovered Monday, a day after video footage of the animal’s carcass first surfaced on social media.Forest officials said the body of the wild cat appeared to have been burnt in an attempt to destroy evidence, as the carcass showed no fire damage in social media footage from a day earlier.Three suspects seen in the footage have been arrested following a joint operation by personnel from the forest department and Shahgarh police. A tractor allegedly used in the crime has also been seized.Police identified the accused as Ibrahim Khan (32), Uma (31) and Salidad (50), all residents of Shahgarh.The forest department took the caracal remains into custody and registered an FIR in this connection. A post-mortem examination of the animal was conducted by a medical board, after which the carcass was disposed of according to protocol.Jodhpur chief conservator of forests, Anoop K R, said the recovery and arrests followed an operation in the Shahgarh area about 3km from the Indo–Pakistan border, where the animal is believed to have been killed.
