The State Forest Department requested the police to book a notorious tiger poacher under the Gangster Act to ensure harsher punishment. If the police act as per this recommendation, Uttarakhand will be the first State in India to book a wildlife poacher under the Gangster Act, said Uttarakhand Forest and Environment Advisory Committee vice chairman Anil Baluni. In addition to this, the department is also considering the option of sealing the properties of poachers and wildlife commodity smugglers absconding after being booked by the authorities.
In February this year, six poachers and wildlife commodity smugglers were arrested and a leopard pelt, ivory, bones of wild animals and firearms were recovered from them in a joint operation undertaken by the Uttarakhand Forest Department and police. Those arrested included Balku Bawaria, Gami Gujjar, Ali Jaan and Ramesh, who are habitual offenders.
According to Baluni, Balku Bawaria who is presently imprisoned in Haldwani jail, is wanted for his involvement in five tiger poaching cases and is considered to be one of the most notorious tiger poachers after Sansar Chand. “We have requested police to book Bawaria under the Gangster Act so that he receives harsher punishment. He is a seasoned criminal who knows no other income generating activity other than poaching wild animals so we want him to be booked under the Gangster Act so as to maximise the number of years he is sentenced to stay behind bars,” stressed Baluni.
If the police take the requested action, Uttarakhand will be the first State in India to book a poacher under the Gangster Act, he added. Another measure being considered for wildlife protection is the option of sealing the property of poachers and smugglers absconding after being booked for wildlife offences. Information was sought from the divisional level about such absconding offenders whose properties could be sealed.
