In a dramatic turn of events, forest officials in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district have unraveled a dangerous deception. A gang of poachers, who attempted to mislead authorities with a fabricated story of a tiger attack, was busted this Monday after a swift operation. The truth revealed a far more sinister crime: illegal hunting using live electric wires, a method that poses extreme danger to both wildlife and human life.
The Tip-Off and Swift Operation
The crackdown was initiated after the Central Chanda forest division received a crucial tip-off. Acting promptly, officials from the Dhaba forest range launched an operation within the Gojoli reserved forest. During interrogation, the prime accused, identified as Raju Mohurle from Gojoli village, confessed to the illicit activities. He admitted that on December 21, he along with two accomplices had entered the forest with the intent to hunt using electrified wires.
A Dangerous Encounter and a Fabricated Story
The illegal plan took a perilous turn when the group unexpectedly encountered a tiger while checking their lethal setup. In the ensuing confrontation, one of the accused, Chakradhar Mohurle, sustained injuries from the tiger. In a bid to evade punishment for their primary crime, the gang concocted a false narrative. They attempted to claim that the tiger attack had occurred in a different location, hoping to pass it off as a mere accidental encounter.
The Narrative Collapses Under Scrutiny
However, the poachers' fabricated story quickly fell apart under the scrutiny of experienced forest investigators. The officials pieced together the evidence, exposing the use of live wires and the true cause of the incident. An offence has been officially registered in connection with this grave act. This incident highlights the severe risks posed by such illegal hunting techniques, which can electrocute any animal or person coming into contact with them, causing immense suffering and death.
The bust serves as a stern warning to those involved in wildlife crime and underscores the vigilance of forest authorities in protecting India's natural heritage. The use of electric wires for poaching is a particularly heinous form of wildlife crime that demands stringent action.
