7 poachers nabbed in Melghat Tiger Reserve….
Based on confidential information, On 5th June 2016 Five poachers were arrested with Vishal Mali (ACF,MTR). I am part of that team. We went on patrolling with the tiger project team. Just after 7am, two persons suspiciously appeared in Vairat Core Area of Gugamal Wildlife division. However, litmus tests showed that poisoning experiments were conducted on Kalkundi waterhole. As the evidence of poisoning and suspicious items came in, we continued our patrolling. As we walked 5 km, we saw a domestic dogs walking around in the Core Area. After going 3 km further, near ‘Nagar Vakhkhar’ waterhole 5 poachers was sitting there. The five hunters, arrested without any noise, were taken into custody & seized 2 axes, pieces of meat of deer, one bird Crested Serpent Eagle, poison bottle and other suspicious materials. We also saw the blood clotted near the ‘Nagar bakhkhar’ waterhole and marking of eating it with blood. We testified that the smoke, ash and other material left by the burning chulla where they cooked. All poachers acknowledged that they had illegally entered the Melghat tiger project for poaching. Range Forest Officer Machindra Thigale of MTR has registered a crime under section 5, section 2, section 19, section 9, section 3 (3) and section 1 (c) of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
