While two tiger skins were seized from locals in Kolhapur and Sangli, a leopard skin was seized from Nashik on Tuesday from the same gang members. Deputy SP of Sangli and investigation officer Kavita Nerkar said main accused were still at large. Those arrested were found in possession of these skins and hand of Bahelia poachers could not be ruled out, she said. It is also not confirmed whether the skins were from animals in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve that has 8-10 tigers.

"They have not told us where the tigers and leopard were killed," Nerkar said. Seven persons Vijay Shetke, Amit Patil, Santosh Shinde, Sanjay Dudhal, Basavraj Rajput, Nikhil Patil and Mehboob Attar were arrested for their alleged involvement in the smuggling racket. All the accused have been remanded to police custody till March 20.

Last month and early this month, two gangs of local poachers were held for trafficking leopard skins obtained from Balaghat forest area in Madhya Pradesh in Gondia and Nagpur. All these incidents show poachers are still active in the state. Despite forest officials putting at least 25 hardcore poachers and traffickers behind bars, Maharashtra continues to be a big hub for tiger and leopard skins and body parts.

On March 1-2, at least 25 Bahelia women and men were arrested in Wahgaon near Karad from a farm. "The men escaped while women were detained. As forest officials gave them a clean chit, we released them near Nashik," said Palbid police officials.

Recently, forest minister Patangrao Kadam in a press conference at Nagpur had claimed that Bahelia tiger poachers were avoiding Maharashtra after these arrests. The recent seizures belie that claim. Sarjan Bhagat, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), said it may be possible the Bahelias might be avoiding Vidarbha after action but still going to Western Maharashtra from Karnataka. "They don't have a fixed area of operation and their role cannot be ruled out in poaching of tigers. As of now there is no information where the tigers were killed," said Bhagat.

Meanwhile, international tiger skin trader Suraj Pal alias Chacha again applied for bail on Tuesday before the court of judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) AY Borkar. The same court had already rejected his bail on January 17. In another development, arguments on bail granted to Naresh Lala, tiger skin trader and accomplice of Pal, will be heard in the court of additional sessions judge S D Jagmalani on Thursday. The forest department has challenged lower court's decision to grant bail to Lala.