Interstate Tiger Skin Smuggling Gang Busted on Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra Border

Two Tiger Skins Recovered as Chhattisgarh Cracks Down on Wildlife Crime

RAIPUR / BHANUPRATAPPUR (India CSR): In a strong action against wildlife crime, the Chhattisgarh Forest Department has busted an interstate tiger-skin smuggling network near the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border. Two accused from Maharashtra were arrested in the Bande range of West Bhanupratappur forest division, and two tiger skins were safely recovered. The operation, carried out with support from WCCB teams, the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve anti-poaching unit, flying squad and local forest staff, is being seen as a major crackdown on organised wildlife trafficking under the leadership of Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap.

Acting on specific intelligence, vigilant officials intercepted the smugglers near the porous Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border. The highly successful operation, executed under the proactive guidance of Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap and led by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Arun Kumar Pandey, marks a significant milestone in the state’s unwavering commitment to protecting the tiger, an apex predator strictly protected under Schedule-1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Two accused sit with seized tiger skins and a motorcycle after a forest department operation near the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border. Image: Forrest Department.

The bust unfolded in the remote border region of the Bande range, falling under the West Bhanupratappur forest division. The accused identified as Byeshwar and Baburao, both residents of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district were attempting to transport the illicit wildlife contraband on a motorcycle. A joint security team swiftly moved in, cornering the duo and catching them red-handed with the skins before they could escape.

Two tiger skins were recovered during the interstate wildlife smuggling crackdown in Bhanupratappur forest division. Image: Forrest Department.

Officials credited the stellar success of the raid to seamless intelligence sharing and exceptional groundwork among several top-tier state and central agencies. The operation was a brilliantly coordinated joint effort involving the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Northern and Central zones, the state forest department’s dedicated flying squad, the highly specialized anti-poaching unit of the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR), and local Bhanupratappur forest personnel.

Following their arrest, both men were produced before a local magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. However, forest officials are determinedly treating this as just the tip of the iceberg. The department has aggressively expanded its investigation to dismantle the broader poaching and funding network, confirming that a vigorous manhunt is actively underway to track down other operatives involved in the syndicate. Thanks to the department’s swift action, more arrests are expected to follow in the coming days as they close in on the remaining culprits.

(India CSR)

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