AGARTALA, Aug 18 – In a major success against poaching, the Forest department in Tripura seized two tusks and two heads of deer from a suspected poacher’s house at a remote village of Khowai district, official sources confirmed here on Monday.
However, no one was arrested as the house owner escaped before the Forest officials reached the house. A case under Wildlife Protection Act has been lodged against one Rathindra.
Shocked by the recovery of a decomposed body of a wild elephant from Tuisingram under Mugiakami RD block on Saturday, DFO SK Singh and Addl DFO Pranjit Bhowmik laid a trap at Arjunkobrapara, a remote tribal village of Khowai subdivision.
Based on specific information, the Forest staff on Sunday raided the house of Rathindra Debbarma at Arjunkobrapara, around 23 km from Khowai town and recovered two tusks, two heads and dried skin of deer. However, the house owner was not found at home.
While talking to media, the DFO said, “We guess not only Rathindra but some more villagers are involved in poaching in Teliamura forest division”. According to the DFO, the two tusks and two heads of deer could be worth around Rs 10 lakh which is the biggest success against poaching in the recent past.
Today’s recovery indicates poaching is taking place in the State’s reserve forest areas due to lack of proper protection by the Forest department. The department’s surveillance mechanism is very weak leading to degradation of forest cover as well as poaching of animals.
