Tiger, leopard skins worth Rs 50 lakh seized, 2 held

Fri, Nov 6 11:55 AM

Nagpur, Nov. 6 -- A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team on Thursday seized tiger skins and animal bones worth Rs 50 lakh from a train.

Acting on a tip-off, a CBI team raided the 2295-Bangalore-Patna-Sanghmitra Express on Thursday morning and seized the skins. John Thomas, the superintendent of police, CBI, Vidarbha said they have seized one tiger skin, one leopard skin and 50 kg bones worth about Rs 50 lakh in the international market.

The CBI also arrested two people, Channa and Amit, both residents of Chandrapur where the Tadoba tiger reserve is located. Kishore Rithe, wildlife expert and president of Satpuda Foundation, said the region has seen a surge in illegal trade of skins and bones of animals.

The duo were brought to Nagpur CBI office for further investigations, Thomas said. Meanwhile, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has directed the state government to submit a status of trained employees, utilisation of funds and infrastructure for the protection of wildlife and conservation in the Tadoba tiger reserve.

A high court division bench sought a reply from the additional chief secretary (revenue and forests) in four weeks. It was said the Tadoba tiger reserve might be closed down for tourists because of several shortcomings including inadequate number of trained staff and the requisite infrastructure by way of arms and equipment to protect and conserve the flora and fauna of the area.

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