Madhya Pradesh forest team in Nagpur to quiz Katni-based poachers

BHOPAL: A team of forest officials from Madhya Pradesh reached Nagpur on Sunday to interrogate the three Katni-based poachers, who were arrested by the local crime branch team of Maharashtra recently.


Initial inputs reveal that the Pardhi’s of Katni district had been poaching tigers across the country in four different gangs headed by Hotel Singh, Kunter Singh, Keru Singh and Warsul Singh.

Accused Chika alias Krishna, Badlu alias Mangru and Shiri, of Katni's Sagoni village – arrested by last week belong to the Hotel Singh gang, said sources. They are on remand with the crime branch till June 19, an official told TOI.

MP forest officials are looking forward to take the accused on transit remand once their counterparts in Maharashtra finish the interrogation. A team of forest officials from the Rukhad Circle has also reached Nagpur to interrogate the accused.

Maharashtra forest officials have moved towards MP to trace the gang members on the run and recover a tiger hide, which sources claim the accused have dumped in a forest area.

Hotel Singh is said to be around 60 years and had been a notorious poacher. He has trained his children and other relatives in poaching. His son Bhajan and grandson Bhairo from Sagoni, are two suspects who have shifted their base to Karnataka.

Other key suspect Warsul, son of Pareshan Singh, who apparently killed tigers around Mandla district is also on the run. He reportedly escaped to Uttar Pradesh after the recent arrest of other members of the gang. “He had supplied a tiger hide from Mandla,” said a forest official.

The officials are also looking for the kingpin, based in Haryana who allegedly paid advance money to the poachers. “He bought three hides from Pardhis, which were smuggled to Agra to be forwarded to an undisclosed destination,” said a forest officer wishing anonymity.

When contacted Mashram, DFO (Vigilance) Nagpur told TOI that a team has been dispatched to MP for further interrogations. “They are proving to be tough nuts to crack. Still we are putting our best efforts to recover the tiger hides and bust the entire gang,” he added.