MP: 5 held in Umaria tiger poaching, electrocution trap used​

Umaria, April 9 Days after the mutilated carcass of a tiger was discovered in a forest area of Umaria district, the Forest Department has arrested five accused in connection with the poaching case, a forest official told IANS on Thursday.​

The breakthrough came after an intensive operation led by a team of the Madhya Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation in the Chandia range.​

The five accused, all residents of Majhgawa village, were taken into custody following technical surveillance and inputs from local informants, Umaria Divisional Forest Officer Amit Pataudi told IANS.​

He stated that during the operation, officials also recovered wooden pegs and galvanised iron wires, which were allegedly used to set up the illegal electrical trap in the forest.​

Investigations revealed that the tiger was killed by electrocution in Compartment P-111, where the accused had laid a deadly trap using live electric wires.​

Pataudi said the preliminary investigation indicates that the accused had been involved in poaching activities for a considerable period, targeting wild animals by laying electrified wires deep inside forest areas. Any animal coming into contact with these wires would be instantly killed.​

He added that after the tiger was electrocuted, the accused panicked and attempted to conceal the crime. They reportedly dragged the carcass to another location and tried to dispose of it. ​

One of the accused is suspected of having removed the tiger’s teeth, raising concerns about possible links to wildlife trafficking.​

Pataudi further stated that the accused persons will be produced before the Umaria district court.​

Authorities have intensified patrolling and surveillance in the region to prevent similar incidents. ​

With this case, the number of tiger deaths reported in Madhya Pradesh this year has risen to 18, raising fresh concerns over wildlife protection in the state.​

The decomposed carcass of the tiger was found earlier this week in bushes within the jurisdiction of the Forest Development Corporation on Monday.​

--IANS​

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