MITHI, Jan 25: Concerned citizens have appealed to the high ups to order an inquiry against influential hunters who hunted protected deer in a game sanctuary here about eight days ago.

Expressing concern over reluctance of the wildlife department to register a case, they said that a lawful action should be taken against the culprits.

Talking to Dawn, Sardar Singh, Bhojraj and Chandan Singh, residents of the village of Tejmal Ji Veri in Nagarparkar taluka, alleged that Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MPA Nawab Taimoor Talpur and other influential hunters and their henchmen had arrived near the village in a motorcade after midnight and started shooting the protected deer.

On hearing gun shots, villagers arrived on the spot on horses and asked hunters to refrain from unlawful hunting of the rare and protected species. But a hunter resorted to aerial firing and threatened the villagers of dire consequences if they obstructed their hunting.

According to villagers, influential hunters killed 12.

They said that two police officials Ayoub Nohri and Amin Nohri were guiding the hunting party who took the hunted deer to an Autaq of a local Wadera and ate their cooked meat at a feast.

When the news about the incident was published in newspapers, game officials Lajpat Sharma and Ashfaq Memon and some reporters came to the village. Villagers showed them horns of hunted deer, used cartridges and sand particles drenched with deer blood on the hunting spots.

According to villagers, the game officials recorded their statements and visited the hunting sites, but said that being government servants, it was very difficult for them to register a case against the influential hunters.

When contacted, Tilok Chand, honorary district game warden, told this reporter that he had not visited the village and not received any report from game officers Lajpat Sharma and Ashfaq Memon who had been directed by him to visit the said village and submit a report to him. However, Tilok Chand said he would also visit the village if was necessary.

Ashfaq Memon said that he was driving a vehicle on the Super Highway and would call this scribe later, but he did not. Despite repeated attempts, Lajpat Sharma's cellphone was found non-responsive.