Seven poachers held, tiger skin found

TNN Nov 6, 2011, 08.19AM IST LUCKNOW: There is no end to poaching incidents in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. While about half a dozen poachers were arrested in Uttarakhand in October, one was arrested in UP. Most of these poachers have a history of wildlife crime against them. They have been arrested several times in the past but come out on bail and again start poaching. In the latest incident reported from Sharda range of Haldwani forest division in Uttarakhand's Champawat district, a tiger skin, bones and meat were recovered. The forest team and police seized a jaw trap, knives and 'ballam' and arrested seven persons. The forest department patrolling team found the skin in the forest, recovered meat from near-by area and bones from the hide-out of Van Gujjars. Ads by Google Elephants in South Africa Find out all about magical wildlife holiday opportunities in SA! SouthAfrica.net Club Mahindra Resorts Holiday in all seasons. Quality resorts & excellent hospitality! ClubMahindra.com/Fun-Family-Forever The arrested persons were identified as Totha Ram, Ram Chander, Naresh, Iqbal Gujjar, Hashim Gujjar and his two sons, Yakoob and Karim, all notorious poachers. "Totharam has been arrested before also. He is out on bail," said Tito Joseph from Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI). Totharam is one of the most notorious poachers. He was arrested on May 21, 2003, from Champawat and a leopard skin was recovered from him. On August 10, 2004, the forest department caught him again from Khatima range of terai east division. And, with the help of WPSI, the department recovered a tiger skin with 16 bullet marks from him. Notorious poacher Sansar Chand's telephone number was also recovered from his dairy. He was convicted to 3-years rigorous imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine by civil judge, Khatima. But he got bail from the sessions court. Third time, he was arrested from Banbasa, Champawat on November 18, 2009. An iron trap, another half-made trap, two deer antlers, knives and poaching equipments were seized from him. But, again got bail. Similarly, UP forest department also arrested a poacher with 13 wildlife crime cases against him on October 11. The poacher Tikaram was arrested from Dudhwa along with three others. The forest officials of Bilrayen range of Dudhwa got information that a poaching net had been set up to trap wild animals. The officials reached the spot with the police and nabbed four persons - Tikaram, his son Pothi, and two others - with net, meat of wild boar and a stub. There are 13 wildlife crime cases against Tikaram in Bilrayen range only. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-06/lucknow/30366378_1_totha-ram-tiger-skin-poachers