Press Trust of India
Sunday, April 20, 2008 (Ahmedabad)
The tribal community of Baheliyas is ''actively involved'' in poaching of Asiatic lions in Gir sanctuary, the Gujarat Crime Investigation Department (CID) has said.
''Under the garb of selling traditional medicines and toys, this tribal community members indulge in poaching of wild animals,'' a letter written by CID (Crime) Officer Keshav Kumar to Junagadh Range Inspector General (IG) Mohan Jha said.
There are about 15,000 Baheliyas, basically from Katni in Madhya Pradesh, who are actively involved in poaching all over the country.
''They camp themselves on the outskirts of the town and put up a tent at the roads and sell medicine and toys. They travel mostly in trains and buses,'' the letter said.
''The men go out in the forest during night for hunting animals and women sell them. They travel mostly by trains and state transport buses to avoid checking by police,'' the letter said.
Though the State CID has arrested many tribe members, including the kingpin Sharkashlal, they have not recovered any body parts of the poached lions.
There has been no incident of poaching since April 2007 in Gir, but the CID letter said the 'poaching community' returns when the heat of the police and forest patrolling decreases.
Around eight lions were poached in different areas in and around Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in March and April 2007 for their claws, bones and body parts.
Souce: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047411&ch=4/20/2008%205:06:00%20PM
1 comment:
I was unhappy to read about how forest guides of GIR are showing special effects of lions chasing a cow and ripping it apart in front of tourists for a price. It appeared in Times of India today,22.4.08.Lax laws.
Post a Comment