KOLKATA: The West Bengal government has taken swift and unprecedented action by transferring three top forest officials after the death of a full-grown Royal Bengal Tiger within the Sundarban Tiger Reserve. The action followed a preliminary report given by the State’s Criminal Investigation Department.
Forest Minister Ananta Roy said the officials were transferred on charges of dereliction of duty.
Tourists aboard a launch in the Sundarbans on October 6 first noticed the body of a tiger floating in one of the many rivers that crisscross the delta. They reported it to forest officials who retrieved the body of the male tiger. It was found that the tiger was shot from above from a 303 gun, indicating poaching.
The officials transferred to other positions in the Forest Department are Chief Wildlife Conservator S. S. Bisht, Sundarban Tiger Project Director Niraj Singhal and the chief of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, P. Shukul.
The incident has sent shockwaves among wildlife conservators and activists who fear that a poaching racket is active within the Sundarbans, the natural habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger whose population is dwindling.
The Minister described the incident as unfortunate and said further action may be taken after receipt of a detailed report.
