Two monks arrested for hunting in wildlife sanctuary, hunt on for 7 suspects
Two Buddhist monks on Thursday were caught while allegedly hunting wild animals in Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said on Friday.
In a Facebook post, the department said park rangers were using the Suomi NPP satellite to scan for hotspots in the sanctuary in Nong Bua Daeng district to prevent forest fires, when they spotted the gang of hunters in the protected area.
Officials rushed to the spot to apprehend the group but were met with three shots of gunfire, before most of the group fled into the forest. Officials managed to nab two suspects — a Buddhist monk and a novice monk — who were from a monastery in the province.
The suspects, still in a monk’s saffron robes, reportedly confessed that the group comprised nine members. Of the seven that got away, three were monks with one holding a position of ecclesiastical provincial deputy governor.
Park rangers also found a .22 caliber handgun and a homemade gun, ammunition, and seven backpacks at the suspects’ campsite.
After sending the two suspects to Non Mao Police Station to face charges, officials continued canvassing the areas to track down the remaining suspects, the department said.
