Tiger Skin Seizure
in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
2nd August, 2004
Bullet ridden skins
of a tiger and a Giant Malabar squirrel were seized
by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Tamil Nadu Police
on 28 July 2004, in the Nilgiri North Forest Division.
According to preliminary reports received by Wildlife
Protection Society of India (WPSI), the STF carried
out the seizure in the Segur Range of the Nilgiri North
Forest Division. Two persons belonging to the Theni
district of Tamil Nadu were arrested with a gun and
an axe, while two others managed to escape carrying
another gun. Initial investigations have revealed that
the gang entered the forest to kill a tusker, but opportunistically
killed the first tiger they saw.
The case has now been handed over to the Forest Department
and the accused have been sent to 15 days judicial custody.
WPSI is assisting the enforcement authorities to file
a case against the poachers.
Recently, there have been disturbing reports about rising
incidents of poaching in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve,
and this incident underscores the fact that some of
our most important forests still face a severe poaching
threat.
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