Forest officials pose as buyers to nab 5 with suspected tiger bones

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has arrested five alleged wildlife traffickers and seized skeletal remains suspected to be of two tigers in Balaghat district. During the operation, officials posed as buyers to trap the network, turning the poachers’ own trade into their undoing.The breakthrough came after six weeks of quiet surveillance. Intelligence inputs pointed to an active trafficking racket moving high-value tiger parts. Acting on the tip-off, forest teams struck a deal with the accused and arrested them during the exchange.Preliminary examination suggests the bones are from two different tigers. The remains have been sent for forensic and DNA analysis to confirm the species and establish their identity.During questioning, one accused said the bones of one tiger were brought in from Bamhni Banjar in Mandla district. The origin of the second skeleton is still under investigation.Officials say the probe now shifts to how the tigers were killed, and to recovering other parts of the trade — skins and claws that fetch lakhs in illegal markets from Southeast Asia to China.The five arrested have been booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. They are Ramlal Tekam, 52; Dashrath Parte, 45; Bhim Singh Parte; Ravindra Sonkusare; and Rajkumar Sonkusare.A sixth man, Devidayal Dhodhre, is being questioned to map the larger chain — from hunters in the forest to traders in the market. Further investigation is underway.