Six arrested for killing tiger cub, trying to sell its body parts

Seoni, Jul 10 (PTI) Six persons have been arrested for killing a tiger cub through electrocution in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district and trying to sell its bones and claws, a forest official said on Thursday.

The Nagpur office of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) got a tip-off about some persons trying to sell a cub's body parts on July 7 and contacted the MP forest department, said forest sub-divisional officer Yugesh Patel.

Bhimraj Khobragade (69), Lokesh Patle (28) and Khinaram Patle (38), all MP residents, were arrested in a joint action by the Seoni forest division and DRI, and nine tiger claws and 61 bones were seized from their possession, he added.

The accused disclosed that the body parts had been obtained from Vinod Adamache (29), Prahlad Junanapte (62), both residents of Khapa Tola, and Sohanlal Kushram (74).

According to the official, the cub died after coming in contact with an electric wire trap laid at a farm owned by Vinod Adamache near the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Zone about 15 days ago.

On Wednesday, a forest team recovered the decomposed carcass from a pit near a drain in the village.

Investigation revealed that for about six months, the accused were discussing killing a tiger, and were in contact with each other over mobile phone.

Admache, however, claimed after his arrest that he had laid the trap to kill rabbits or deer, not a tiger, the official said.

The forest department is conducting a detailed investigation, he added. PTI COR LAL KRK