Tiger Poached In MP's Balaghat; 2 Forest Officials Suspended

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Two forest officials have been suspended following suspected poaching of a tiger in the Lalbarra range of Balaghat district. The incident came to light after wildlife activist Ajay Dubey alerted the Head of Forest Force (HoFF) about an alleged cover-up by local forest staff.

HoFF orders an internal probe

According to sources, Dubey informed the HoFF that, based on inputs from his network, a tiger had been illegally killed by poachers in the area, and some forest officials were allegedly trying to suppress the matter.

Acting on the complaint, the HoFF ordered an internal probe, which led to suspension of two officials.

When contacted, District Forest Officer (DFO), Balaghat, said that DNA samples from the site have been sent to a forensic lab for confirmation and further investigation. He said that the matter is under detailed scrutiny and further updates will be shared on Monday.

Poaching becomes easier in monsoon

During the monsoon, it becomes extremely difficult to stop poachers from entering the forest area and prevent poaching, because the muddy ground makes it simpler for them to hunt herbivores that are slow runners. Patrolling is therefore intensified during rainy seasons.