Aizawl, Nov. 8: Poachers struck inside the Dulte reserve forest, about 80 km from here, on the Aizawl-Champhai highway on Sunday, killing a male gibbon.

The poachers, identified as Jerry Lalfakawma and Lalruatkima, both residents of Keifang town, were arrested in Saitual after villagers alerted the police.

The gibbon had been under the protection of the villagers and the forest department for the last two years. ?We are deeply shocked by the killing of our protected gibbon (hauhuk). Another gibbon was being attracted to the forest, but the killing must have scared it off. The poachers should be given the strongest punishment,? the Dulte village council president said.

The killing of gibbons, categorised under Schedule I, Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, is liable to punishment of up to seven years in jail and a fine of Rs 10,000.

The poachers, who fled on a bike, could not even manage to collect the carcass as the villagers were on their trail. The animal was buried in the reserve after a funeral service conducted by the villagers.