Kota | Two people were arrested after a dead female blackbuck was found in their car during an operation to check the hunting of the endangered antelope in a forest area here, police said on Tuesday.

The drive was carried out near Chomakot village under the Deoli-Manji police station area late Sunday night based on a tip-off, local SHO Jugdish Rai said.

Rai said the police team spotted four people in a Thar jeep in the forest and tried to intercept them when they got out of the vehicle and began to flee. The team managed to nab Abdul Kalam (72) and Wasim Ansari (39), residents of the Vigyan Nagar police station area of Kota city, while the other two escaped, the official added.

The vehicle was seized and the dead 10-month-old blackbuck, along with a 12-barrel gun and cartridges, was found in it, he said.

Rai identified the duo who managed to flee as Sikander and Shahid.

All four have been booked under sections of the Forest Act, he said.