Kampa had a big role in killing tigers

Sariska lost all; Panna in MP lost half of tigers

12 of India's 27 reserves are in ruins

Also held father-son Mohar, Madho Singh from MP

Agencies

New Delhi, Feb 5 With the arrest of the kingpin among wildlife smugglers, Neema Kampa, an associate of notorious poacher Sansar Chand, the Rajasthan Police claims that the crackdown on the poaching mafia in the Ranthambore tiger reserve is complete.

Kampa, a Tibetan who had a big role to play in killing the tigers in the Ranthambore reserve, was arrested on Friday evening before he could collect a consignment of 34 leopard skins.

Poaching of tigers has assumed alarming proportions with a new international market for the big cat's pelt and bones with Tibet and China figuring among the top list of importers of tiger products.

Sariska, the neighbouring reserve in Rajasthan, has lost all its tigers; Panna in Madhya Pradesh has lost half it tiger population and 12 of India's 27 reserves are in ruins.

Kampa's arrest assumes importance as he is the kingpin exporting tiger skins by smuggling them into Tibet through Nepal.

While, Kampa had set up bases in Delhi, his father Tamdin Vangyal was operating from Nepal and sending the consignment to Tibet.

The duo ran a huge network of poachers, buyers and handlers involved in the sale of animal skins to Tibet, China and beyond via Nepal.

"Kampa was the principal exporter of animals skins from India and received a consignment every fortnight or so," AK Jain, additional director general Special Operation Group (SOG), Rajasthan Police said.

The consignments were being sent either through the porous borders of India and Nepal or through the buses going to Nepal from Delhi.

At present we do not know the exact quantity exported by Kampa or the number of tigers killed by him. His name however figured during the interrogation of Sansar Chand and his associates," Jain said.

Rajasthan Police have arrested four persons including Sansar Chand for poaching tigers in the state's reserves. They have also arrested the father and son duo - Mohar and Madho Singh from Madhya Pradesh.

The hunt began when Kampa's name surfaced yet again after the local police recovered some animal parts in Kota (Rajasthan). "We learnt that Kampa was living in Delhi and renewed our efforts to nab him. It has taken us three months to finally nab him," Jain said.

He added that a team of Rajasthan Police had been stationed in Delhi to trace Kampa who is wanted in many countries. "We also suspect the role of bus operators and some of them are being investigated," he added.

Jain said that Vangyal was also in Delhi at the time of the raid but the police could not nab him. "We have learnt that he was earlier arrested in Nepal with a consignment of 100 Rhino skins, but was released subsequently," Jain added.

He said the Rajasthan police was in touch with the Delhi Police to nab Vangyal.