One more arrested from MP in tiger poaching case

Staff Reporter

The team of Nagalwadi Forest Range arrested one more accused from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the tiger poaching case that came to light on Tuesday in Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra.

The accused Parasram Goma Dhurvey was arrested on Wednesday morning by the team from Amala village in Chhindwara district.

All four accused arrested in connection with the case were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) of Saoner taluka of Nagpur district. Investigation officer Kiran Patil, ACF West Pench pleaded JMFC Saoner to grant maximum forest custody remand (FCR) citing non-cooperation by the accused during interrogation.

He also pleaded that the offence committed by the accused was of serious nature, non-bailable and tiger, a Schedule-I animal as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 is involved. Adv A C Chalakh, APP represented forest department in the JMFC Saoner court on Wednesday. The another three accused namely Ashok Fago Karade, Rushi Sahare, both residents of Surewani and Nitesh Shankar Wagdhare, resident of Chorkhairi were sent to FCR till December 3.

Kiran Patil, Pravin Lele are carrying out further investigations under the guidance of A Sreelakshmi, Filed Director, PTR; Prabhu Nath Shukla, Deputy Director, PTR and Adv Kavita Bhondge, legal advisor.

The Forest Department got an information about a tiger poaching incident at Nagalwadi Range of PTR on Monday evening. Acting swiftly on the information received, field staff of Nagalwadi Range and Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) staff rushed the spot and searched the entire area of Surewani lake which is under the jurisdiction of Irrigation Department. During the search operation, the team recovered decomposed body parts of a tiger, paws and other body remains from the spot. On the basis of tip-off, the investigating team also arrested the three accused from Surewani village.