21 January 2008

A tiger skin was seized on Monday, 21 January 2008, in the southern hill station of Munnar, in Kerala. Acting on information provided by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), the operation was led by Mr Pradeep, Intelligence DFO of the Vigilance Wing of the Kerala Forest Department.

The skin was of a sub-adult tiger and it is suspected that the animal was killed in the Nilgiri forests two months ago. Four people were arrested, while two others ran away from the scene after throwing down a package, which included the fresh skin of a leopard cat. The case has been handed over to the Munnar Forest Division and the accused will be produced in the Devikulam court on Tuesday.

On the same day, WPSI assisted in a second raid near Rishikesh in the northern state of Uttarakhand. Leopard bones, leopard claws and deer antlers were seized by the Anti-poaching cell of the Uttarakhand Forest Department. One person was arrested.