| Maksam TAYENG |
ITANAGAR, Feb 27: In a major anti-poaching operation, a joint team of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Sub Regional Office, Guwahati, and Forest Department of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam busted a notorious tiger poaching gang by apprehending one of the gang members red-handed with a Royal Bengal tiger skin and other body parts near Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
Acting on a tip-off, the team of officers and forest personnel led by WCCB inspector Jawaharlal Baro has on February 24 seized a 2.15-mtr-long Royal Bengal tiger skin, 4 pieces of tiger canine, one tiger skull with teeth, 46 pieces of bones from accused Jakir Husain of Assam’s Nagaon district while travelling along the Dhola-Sadiya to Roing/Anini road.
They also seized the vehicle bearing Regn No. AS-23V 2160. However, the main accused persons from Arunachal Pradesh’s Anini and Roing have absconded by taking advantage of thick forest after the team intercepted the four-wheeler. However, the team could recover a few documents of the absconding culprits from the vehicle.
During investigation, it was revealed with a photograph from the mobile phone of the accused that the tiger was actually poached from Malinye area of Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, Anini with the support of the local poachers. The investigation is on to nab the other accused from Anini and Roing areas, Chief Wildlife Warden Nyilyang Tam said.
He also stated that immediately after getting the report of tiger poaching, the PCCF, Arunachal Pradesh has constituted a high level committee under the chairmanship of Field Director, Namdapha Tiger Reserve for further inquiry into the issue in Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary and to provide technical assistance to investigation team. Further directions were issued to the local authorities to be on alert to nab the offenders and prevent such poaching incidents in Anini and other parts of the State as well.