Ahead of NTCA visit,reports of tribal feast inside Tadoba reserve

A reported case of poaching of two sambars inside the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is making the reserve authorities squirm....

A reported case of poaching of two sambars inside the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is making the reserve authorities squirm. The case has come to limelight a few days ahead of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member-secretary Rajesh Gopal scheduled Tuesday visit.

The report sent to the TATR authorities by Palasgaon Range Forest Officer (RFO) Ravi Agrawal is a testimony to the fact that poaching is rampant in and around TATR.

According to the report,some tribal poachers from nearby Karwa village in Palasgaon range of Chandrapur territorial division trapped two sambars inside TATR in July this year,killed one of them on the spot,brought its meat to the village and had a sumptuous feast with fellow villagers.

If that wasnt enough,the poachers broke the hind legs of the other sambar and left it in the reserve. The reason: they couldnt have consumed the meat of two sambars at one go. So they maimed the other one to make sure it didnt run away.

As planned,they returned to the spot after two days,killed the animal still writhing in pain,brought the meat to the village and had yet another feast.

This incident came to light during the investigation of a wild boar poaching in the village on August 9. The information was provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) sleuths.

A wild boar had entered village precincts on the day. Some 10 villagers,led by one Shankar Lahanu Kodape,killed it with the help of village dogs. The villagers then had a feast. When we came to know about it we rushed to the village and arrested Kodape. During the investigation,Kodape revealed names of nine other men, who,too,were later arrested and produced before JMFC court in Sindewahi, Agrawal told The Indian Express. Agrawal seized raw meat from the spot where the wild boar was cooked,and also a sickle,an axe and a knife used in the crime.

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The three cases happened in less than a fortnight despite the presence of at least 10 forest staff at Karwa,including two foresters one from TATR and one from territorial division of the forest department. The fact that the poachers could retrieve the maimed animal after two days shows how poor the vigilance inside the reserve is.

The TATR authorities claim the sambar poaching case is mentioned only briefly in the covering letter sent by the RFO. The recorded statements of the accused persons dont mention anything about the two sambars. Also,we have found no material evidence of sambar poaching, said R G Govekar,TATRs acting field director.

He,however,said that the that the RFO should continue with the investigation. We will co-operate, Govekar added.