These are the longest tiger pelts seized in the State by authorities so far
FRIDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has arrested three wildlife smugglers with two 11.4 feet long tiger pelts and about 35 kilogrammes of bones. These are the longest tiger pelts seized in the State by authorities so far. The smugglers were arrested by the joint team of STF, WildLife Crime Control Bureau of Delhi and Terai East forest division of Udham Singh Nagar’s Rudrapur under the supervision of circle officer of STF, Sumit Pandey, said the STF’s senior superintendent of police Ayush Agrawal. He said that STF received confidential information that three vicious smugglers were coming from Kashipur towards Rudrapur in a truck number UK 18 CA 6713 on Wednesday. Considering this, the joint team stopped them on Bajpur Highway and recovered two tiger pelts and 35 kilogrammes of bones. He said that the smugglers told the STF during interrogation that they had brought the pelts and bones from Kashipur and were going to Rudrapur to sell them. It was also revealed during the investigation that the three accused are notorious wildlife smugglers who have been active in the State and border areas of Uttar Pradesh for a long time. The arrested smugglers have been identified as a father-son duo- Kulwinder Singh (60) and Shamsher Singh (23) besides Joga Singh (28) who are locals of Kashipur and belong to the same gang whose seven members were arrested by STF in July along with an 11 feet long tiger pelt and 15 kilogrammes of bones, claimed Agrawal. A case has been registered against the smugglers under the Wildlife Act in Rudrapur. The STF is investigating the poaching network of smugglers which could lead to more arrests in future too. He said that the tiger is our national animal and is placed in the first schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act. He said that STF is the nodal agency to handle wildlife crimes in the State and appealed to the public to inform authorities regarding such smugglers and associated crimes or call STF at 01352656202.
