Bibhav Behera
23-06-2010, 10:00 AM
Even before the controversy over the recent killing of a tigress in the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh had died down, the shocking incident of burning of a tiger cub’s carcass in Pench tiger reserve has come to light from the State.
Four tiger pads have been recovered and three forest chowkidars with the Chairman of the Eco-development Society (constituted by the Forest department) have been arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The incident has been confirmed by the Chief Conservator of Forests, in-charge of territorial Chindwara circle, G Krishnamurthy.
The sources told The Pioneer that a tigress was seen moving with her three cubs in the reserve for past few months. But, since last month, one cub was found missing. “We had no clue as to what had happened to the six-month-old predator, however it was learnt that the latter had died and the carcass burnt to wipe out any evidence,” they said.
Shockingly, the heinous act was allegedly committed by the very protectors of the reserve — the three chowkidars and the Chairman of the local committee. But before burning the body, they chopped off the pad/feet of the cub. Shockingly, the pads were to be used for performing certain tantrik ritual, which they believed would make them wealthy.
Nitin Desai, Environmentalist and Central India Director of Wild Life Protection Society of India, has expressed shock, saying, “How could the Forest department get hoodwinked like this? The cub dies, its carcass burnt, the pads chopped off and that too by its own men and the authorities do not seem to be aware, when all these were happening?”
Confirming the incident, Krishnamurthy said the department has recovered some bones and part of the tiger skin from the burnt remains. He, however, said that the animal had “died a natural death due to weakness”.
Sources said department officials during their patrolling found the cub near a water body away from its mother. Noting its critical condition, the officials had directed the chowkidars to keep a watch on the animal. However, after two days, they reported that the cub was no longer there and that it had been taken back by its mother.
The officials got wind of the incident after a priest had been called by the chowkidars to their camp to perform a tantrik ritual using cub pads, said the CCF.
Taken from http://www.dailypioneer.com/264283/Pench-guards-burn-tiger-cub%E2%80%99s-carcass.html
Four tiger pads have been recovered and three forest chowkidars with the Chairman of the Eco-development Society (constituted by the Forest department) have been arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The incident has been confirmed by the Chief Conservator of Forests, in-charge of territorial Chindwara circle, G Krishnamurthy.
The sources told The Pioneer that a tigress was seen moving with her three cubs in the reserve for past few months. But, since last month, one cub was found missing. “We had no clue as to what had happened to the six-month-old predator, however it was learnt that the latter had died and the carcass burnt to wipe out any evidence,” they said.
Shockingly, the heinous act was allegedly committed by the very protectors of the reserve — the three chowkidars and the Chairman of the local committee. But before burning the body, they chopped off the pad/feet of the cub. Shockingly, the pads were to be used for performing certain tantrik ritual, which they believed would make them wealthy.
Nitin Desai, Environmentalist and Central India Director of Wild Life Protection Society of India, has expressed shock, saying, “How could the Forest department get hoodwinked like this? The cub dies, its carcass burnt, the pads chopped off and that too by its own men and the authorities do not seem to be aware, when all these were happening?”
Confirming the incident, Krishnamurthy said the department has recovered some bones and part of the tiger skin from the burnt remains. He, however, said that the animal had “died a natural death due to weakness”.
Sources said department officials during their patrolling found the cub near a water body away from its mother. Noting its critical condition, the officials had directed the chowkidars to keep a watch on the animal. However, after two days, they reported that the cub was no longer there and that it had been taken back by its mother.
The officials got wind of the incident after a priest had been called by the chowkidars to their camp to perform a tantrik ritual using cub pads, said the CCF.
Taken from http://www.dailypioneer.com/264283/Pench-guards-burn-tiger-cub%E2%80%99s-carcass.html