Khairagarh: Government bodies, administrative units, and various volunteer organizations consistently collaborate to safeguard wildlife. However, the approach taken by forest departments to supply sustenance in dense forests inadvertently emboldens poachers. Consequently, instances of wildlife poaching are witnessing an alarming rise. The most recent incident unfolded within the Khairagarh Forest Division, where a trio was apprehended by a team from the Forest Department, found in possession of a leopard’s skin.
This coordinated effort was orchestrated by the Khairagarh and Kawardha Forest Divisions in tandem with the Anti-Poaching Team from the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve situated in Gariyaband. Subsequently, the three suspects were presented before the First Class Magistrate of Chhuikhadan District, Chhattisgarh, in accordance with the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, and subsequently incarcerated.
Intelligence inputs prompted the formation of a joint task force, comprising the Anti-Poaching Team from Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Gariyaband, the State-level Flying Squad Team from Raipur, the city Forest Division, and the Rengakhar Forest Division, Khairagarh. This collaborative effort, operating under the jurisdiction of the Khairagarh Forest Division, led to the interception of three suspects in the act of seeking to transact in a leopard’s skin along the Salhevara-Kumharwada-Bakarkatta route within the forest area of Salhevara in the Khairagarh Forest Division.
The apprehended individuals, namely Amar Singh Sahu from Balaghat district, Satiram Baiga from Khairagarh, and Ghas Lal Singh, were caught red-handed. Legal proceedings were initiated against the trio under the stipulations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, and they were brought before the First Class Magistrate of Chhuikhadan for due process. Following the judicial procedures, all three were remanded to the sub-jail in Khairagarh.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced in combating wildlife crimes and emphasizes the need for continued vigilance and collaborative efforts among various stakeholders to preserve our natural heritage.
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