Man held for trading in tiger skin, bones

Tribune News Service

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Haridwar September 26

The Uttarakhand Police today brought the mastermind of tiger skin and bones smuggler from Hoshiarpur to Haridwar.

Ram Bhagat, resident of Dhobiayan basti near bus stand, confessed of his involvement in killing and selling of tiger skin and bones to buyers in Punjab.

A joint team of the Uttarakhand Police and Special Task Force carried out the operation and arrested Ram Bhagat yesterday from Punjab.

On March 3, the police seized five skins of tiger and three caskets of tiger bones weighing 125 kg from Ram Chander, who had disclosed during interrogation the name of Ram Bhagat as being the one who supplied the skins and bones to Punjab after killing the tigers.

Tiger skins and bones were assumed to be worth Rs 70 lakh in the international market.

As per Superintendent of Police Manikant Mishra, a joint team was formed to solve this case.

The police yesterday arrested the main accused from Hoshiarpur and brought him to Haridwar.

“We are still interrogating the accused to know of the details of this illegal trade. A case under Section 9/39/44/49-B/51 of the Wild Life Protection Act is registered against him. Vigil and checking has been increased in the sensitive pockets of divisional forest and the Rajaji Tiger Reserve area,” said Superintendent of Police (City) Manikant Mishra.

Elephant falls ill at Rajaji

Dehradun: Officials of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve are grappling hard to treat an ailing elephant.

The 16-year-old elephant, Yogi, is not consuming food properly for past few days.

A team of doctors has arrived from Assam to provide treatment to the ailing elephant. Rajaji Park director Sanataan is already camping in Chila to supervise treatment arrangements.

Yogi along with his companions Rangeeli, Radha, Rani and Raja live in elephant enclosures inside the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and is a source of attraction for all tourists coming here.