A major action was taken by Pune Forest Department in the tiger and leopard skin smuggling case
Appeal to contact Hello Forest 1926 toll-free number.
Based on confidential information received from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Mumbai on 14 September; Forest Range Officer Bhamburda and forest personnel set a trap and nabbed three accused at Warje and five accused selling leopard skins and tiger skins at Mauje Saswad bus stand on the morning of September 15, according to a press release issued by the Deputy Forest Conservator’s Office.
Aniket Pramod Bhoite (20), Sandeep Shankar Lakde (34), Dhanaji Narayan Kale (35), along with a leopard skin, have been arrested. A two-wheeler with a leopard skin was seized from them and a case has been registered under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972.
This action has been taken under the guidance of Rahul Patil, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune Forest Department. Assistant Forest Conservator Mayur Bothe and Ashutosh Shendge, Forest Range Officer Pradip Sankapal, Forest Ranger Vaibhav Babar, Forest Conservator Suresh Bale, Rameshwar Telangre, Mahadev Chavan, Raees Momin, Parmeshwar Waghmare, Yogesh Tikole, Amol Sathe, Amol Gurav and other forest workers were present on the occasion.
The Pune Forest Department came to know that an unidentified person selling leopard skins and tiger skins at the Mauje Saswad bus stand on September 15 morning would arrive at 6 am. According to this, Forest Range Officer Bhamburda and forest workers set up a trap to catch unknown people by making fake shopkeepers; At Saswad bus stand, Aadesh Sharadrao Ingole (47), Balu Bapu Namdas (65), Akash Anasaheb Raite (27), Uday Singh Shankarrao Samvat (47), Amot Ramesh Vedpathak (34) were caught red-handed. Leopard skin and tiger skin were found. Also seized were 1 Indica Vista, 1 Tata Tigo four-wheeler and a total of two four-wheelers respectively. The case has been registered under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972 and further investigation is being carried out under the guidance of Forest Range Officer Pradip Sankapal and Deputy Forest Conservator and six forest conservators.
If any wildlife is being smuggled or hunted in your area, the Forest Department officials and staff should be informed immediately. Rahul Patil, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Pune Forest Department, has appealed to call Hello Forest 1926 toll-free number.
