Supari killing: Poacher sold tiger for `7,000

Source: P Naveen, DNA | Last Updated 05:50(29/05/12) Bhopal: The tiger allegedly poached in Shivpuri district was sold for Rs 7000 by Sanjesh, the poacher arrested along with seven others from buffer zone of Pench National Park, told interrogators. He revealed that the tiger was trapped in a steel-jaw leg hold trap laid in forest near Shivpuri district. To ensure that the skin is not damaged, the accused along other trappers killed the tiger by breaking its neck and spines; besides hitting them hard on its head, said sources. After collecting the skin, claws and bones, the remains (flesh), accused said, were dumped at a deserted place on Gwalior road in Shivpuri. A team has been dispatched to Shivpuri along with the accused to recover the dump from the said location, said Ashok Kumar, Chindwara divisional forest officer (DFO). Meanwhile, the forest officials in Shivpuri assume that, the animal he killed must have been a leopard. “We are not sure about whether the animal he killed was a tiger or a leopard. We are trying to assertion the facts in coordination with different teams” DFO Shivpuri RD Mahela said. For further identification of the species, sample of hairs recovered from the jaw-trap recovered form poachers have been sent to wild life forensic laboratory in Hyderabad. The reports are awaited. Sanjesh, the officer said, was a hard nut to crack. He tried to mislead the interrogators that the jaw-trap recovered from his possession was a toy. Later, he changed claiming that he brought it to cope with troubles of rat on his Gypsy. The officials also had detained three persons in Shivpuri, to whom he had allegedly sold the tiger skin and bones. They were later released as no recovery was made. Officials claim that they would be arrested, once evidence is collected. Officials of the Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve (TATR), Maharashtra also interrogated Sanjesh, but failed to get significant information related to poaching attempts made in their area in April this year. Sanjesh’s cell phone number was matched with a list of mobile numbers that had the TATR officials had brought along, but to no avail. “They had a long list of mobile numbers that was serviced by mobile towers around the TATR area between April and May - when the tigers were trapped - but his number didn't match,” said an officer. The forest officials have sought the call details record (CDR) of Sanjesh to ascertain his contacts, if any, with the interstate or international poaching syndicate. Besides, a tiger, the accused have confessed to have killed four leopards in the same region. Officials are also looking forward to subject him to a narco analysis test for more information following his contradictory and misleading statements. Sanjesh was arrested along with seven other by the officials of Pench tiger reserve and local forest department on Friday night. Other accused, Zilendar Giri of Sarguja and Rai Singh, Dharma, Dhara, Ishwar, Jorawar and Kismat, all from Rajasthan are in judicial custody. http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MP-BHO-supari-killing-poacher-sold-tiger-for-%607000-3334259.html