DERA GHAZIKHAN: The Punjab Wildlife Department has rescued an injured fawn, while a case was registered against seven suspects on charge of slaughtering the mother hog deer and stealing another fawn, in the Taunsa Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary in the middle of the River Indus in Kot Addu district.According to wildlife officials, a female hog deer had given birth to two fawns in the illegally cultivated wheat crop in Taunsa Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary.

They said cultivators, not aware of the presence ofthe hog deerand the fawns there, started harvesting the wheat crop. As a result, the deer got severely injured when the blades of the harvesting machine severed its leg. One of thefawns was also injured by the harvester.

The officials said the cultivators left the injured fawn in the field and fled away with the other fawn and the hog deer, which they later slaughtered.

The wildlife officials have taken the fawn in their custody.

On the complaint lodged by the wildlife department, Kot Addu Sadar police registered a case against the sevenpoachers for slaughtering the female hog deer and stealing the fawn.

Irrigation department and wildlife department seem to be helpless before politically influential locals, who use the sanctuary`s land for cultivation, killing wild animals and birds living there.

Wildlif e-loving groups on social media have called for investigation into the matter.