A joint team of Nagpur and Bhandara Forest Divisions arrested two persons and seized 15 tiger nails, three canine, 10 teeth, 5 kg bones, and a motorcycle from them. The duo was arrested from Gobarwahi area of Nakdongri, in Bhandara Forest Division. The Forest Department got information about smuggling of body parts of tiger. The team members were in contact with the smugglers as customers for couple of days. The smugglers, identified as Sanjay Shriram Pustode (41), a resident of Chikhla Mines and Ramu Jaidev Uikey (33), a resident of Asalpani, agreed to sell the tiger’s body parts to the undercover foresters, on Saturday.

 

When the smugglers were handing over the body parts, the foresters swung into action and arrested both the smugglers. Both accused were booked under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The action was initiated under the guidance of Rangnath Naikade, Chief Conservator of Forest (Territorial), Nagpur Circle; Dr Bharat Singh Hada, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Nagpur; and Rahul Gawai, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Bhandara. P G Kodape, Narendra Chandewar, Sandeep Giri, Saket Shende, Sanjay Mendhe, P M Wade, Taole, Padwal, Jadhav, Shende and other officials of Forest Department were part of the operation.