WCCB to probe tiger killing if Goa govt recommends: Tejaswini

PANAJI: The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has said that it will probe the tiger killing case in Goa only if state government recommends for the same.

A Royal Bengal tiger was poached in the hills of Keri village in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary northeast of capital city of Panaji.

The forest department had stumbled upon the crime after the image of tiger carcass clicked on the mobile phone was published in a local newspaper.

WCCB deputy director Tejaswini Patil said that they have not received any formal request to probe the killing or seek assistance in the investigations from the state government.

The wild animal poaching was reported somewhere in February this year.

The WCCB was constituted on the recommendation of the tiger task force to probe the organized wildlife crimes like poaching involving scheduled animals.

Patil said that being a Central government organization, the formal request by state government is mandatory to begin the investigations.

She also rubbished the local media reports which claimed that WCCB is taking over the investigations. Right now its a state government issue, Patil said.