Multi-state Tiger poaching ring busted, accused held across borders

A joint operation conducted by officials from PS Azara (Assam Police) and the Forest Department led to the seizure of four accused individuals along with a stash of tiger skin and bones.

The case, which initially appeared to be a case of localized poaching, quickly unraveled into a complex inter-state web of wildlife trafficking with far-reaching ramifications.

On June 29, 2023, the officials intercepted the accused, revealing their involvement in a poaching incident that had taken place in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The contraband was slated for transportation to Meghalaya, hinting at the organised network’s wide-spanning reach. The case was subsequently transferred to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) on August 8, 2023.

In a collaborative effort, the Special Task Force (STF) worked in coordination with the West Karbi Anglong Police and supported the WCCB’s investigation.

Resulting from this combined effort, two individuals were apprehended on August 16, 2023. Rindik Teringpi, and her son, Bidasingh Senar, were successfully located and detained in West Karbi Anglong and Shillong respectively. They were allegedly working as intermediaries, facilitating the illicit transportation of tiger skins and bones to adjoining states, from where these items are illicitly exported abroad, according to Kalyan Pathak, Additional Superintendent of Police at STF.

The accused were charged under sections 9, 39, 40, 48A, 49B, and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as per a registration by the SRO, WCCB, Guwahati.