Following the information shared by secret sources, State Tiger Strike Force, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and Special Task Force (Police) took 16 accused under custody who were found possessing 4 skin of protected wild animals and other illegal wild animal body parts.
District along with state teams took joint action in a planned manner to catch the accused involved in illegal trade of wild animal body parts. As per the plan, the team caught the 16 accused near Jabalpur.
As shared by Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), following items were confiscated from the accused trading wildlife animal parts:
· 4 leopard skins
· Pangolin scales weighing upto 20 kilograms
· 2 cars, i.e. Maruti Suzuki Swift Desire and Maruti Alto
· 2 two-wheelers
A case was registered under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act after seizing the above mentioned items.
“The two teams took an action against illegal transportation and illegal trade of its components on a large scale based on the secret information received from Madhya Pradesh State Wildlife Headquarters,” said Pratibha Titare, Special Task Force (Forest), Indore.
She added that in the said case, investigation is going on and after the remand of all the accused in the Special Tiger Strike Force Court, Jabalpur, inquiry report exposed the accused and their illegal trade.
Among accused arrested, two are from Katni; two are from Jabalpur; four are from Umaria; and eight are residents of Didaari.
“These body parts including skin and scales wild animals were sold to the people who believed in magic spells, magic spells,” Titare said.
She added that the leopard was been hunted with the use of electric wire.
State Tiger Strike Force appealed to the public to get rid of various superstitions and help in controlling illegal wildlife trade in the state and country. Pangolin is the most trafficked mammal in the world. There are eight species of pangolins. They're listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
India’s national animal and iconic fauna tiger and other big cat leopard has also borne the brunt of several popular myths and superstitions.
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 is a comprehensive piece of legislation that regulates sanctuaries, national parks, and zoos among other protected locations. Its primary aim is to curb the illegal trade in wildlife and the derivative parts.
Crimes related to wild life are illegal and it has a provision of rigorous punishment of up to 07 years.
