**Sensational Tiger Poaching Cases in Madhya Pradesh Remain Unsolved, Forest Staff Under Pressure**
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Several high-profile tiger poaching cases have been dragging on without any significant breakthroughs, keeping forest officials under immense pressure. In these investigations, either the accused remain at large or their identities have yet to be established.
One such case involves the poaching of a tiger in August near the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Narmadapuram. Despite more than a month having passed, forest officials have not been able to gather any solid leads against the perpetrators. Their identities remain unknown, even after a cash reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for information leading to their capture.
Rakhi Nanda, Field Director of Satpura Tiger Reserve, confirmed that the accused are still absconding. She also mentioned that in some cases, delays in arrests occur due to various complexities involved in the investigations. In this particular incident, the tiger was killed using a snare, and poachers allegedly took one of its paws. The carcass was later found floating in the backwaters of a nearby river.
Another unresolved poaching case is from the Chiklodh area on the outskirts of Bhopal, where a tiger was killed during last year’s monsoon season. A senior Forest officer from the Raisen district revealed that a challan had been submitted in court against two accused individuals. However, there are still undisclosed connections in the case that need to be uncovered. This incident was especially notable because the poachers shot the tiger directly in the head using a modern firearm.
The third significant case comes from the Balaghat circle, where a tiger’s corpse was reportedly burned by certain Forest officials in an apparent attempt to cover up the crime. Some of the accused employees remain at large.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey emphasized that these incidents highlight serious lapses in intelligence gathering and flaws in priority security arrangements. He urged that it is high time for the state to establish a dedicated Tiger Protection Force specifically tasked with combating poachers and safeguarding the majestic animals.
The ongoing challenges in cracking these cases underscore the urgent need for heightened vigilance and strengthened measures to protect Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/madhya-pradesh-tiger-poachers-elusive-forest-officials-grapple-with-unsolved-cases