MP Leopard Poaching Case: Accused Trained To Kill Using Leg-Hold Traps, Say Forest Officials

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Forest officials believe the accused arrested for poaching 10 leopards in the Kuno forest division, Sheopur forest division and the Chambal Sanctuary in Morena underwent training in trapping and killing leopards using leg-hold traps. So far, 10 people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Officials also suspect the accused used cattle camps in Shivpuri, located close to the Kuno buffer area, as a cover to carry out the poaching. "All the poaching incidents took place within a 200-metre radius of cattle camps," a Kuno forest officer said.

The officer said cattle camps located near forest areas should be removed to safeguard wildlife. Leopards are attracted to cattle as easy prey, making them vulnerable to poaching.

"In the last four years, we fought hard to remove cattle camps from the Kuno area. Now such camps exist close to Kuno and they too should be removed," he said.

The officer added that the accused arrested in the case are snake charmers and are suspected to have received training in killing leopards and skinning them.

Sources in the State Tiger Strike Force said the accused knew the routes frequently used by leopards and placed leg-hold traps at precise locations.

This, they said, strengthens the suspicion that the accused conducted recce before killing the animals. Investigators are yet to ascertain where the accused procured the leg-hold traps.

Another Kuno forest officer said he believed the accused killed leopards on demand from an organised network. "Who will keep leopard skins at home? It is not a product that can be sold openly," he said.

Sources in the State Tiger Strike Force, which recently arrested six accused from Sheopur, said more arrests are likely during the course of the investigation.

The alleged kingpin of the syndicate is yet to be identified. Kuno National Park field director Uttam Sharma said intelligence gathering and information sharing at all levels must be strengthened to prevent such incidents.

How the syndicate was uncovered

The alleged poaching syndicate came to light after the Agra forest department and Agra police jointly arrested four smugglers with the skins of 10 leopards on July 23.

Acting on leads from the case, the State Tiger Strike Force arrested six accused from Sheopur. One of the four accused arrested in Agra hails from Morena and remains in judicial custody there.