Madhya Pradesh detects Poacher, Maoist nexus

Bhopal: A nexus between wildlife poachers and Naxals in Madhya Pradesh has come to light following the arrest of members of an animal killing syndicate in the state.

Poachers have been receiving their explosive consignments from Naxals to kill wild animals in Balaghat and Seoni forests in MP, a probe by special task force (STF) of MP forest department has indicated. “Explosives have been made available to wildlife poachers through the Naxal’s supply network in MP, the interrogation of some syndicate members has revealed,” a probe official, unwilling to be quoted since he was not authorised to speak to media, told this newspaper on Sunday. The poachers use explosives laced with bullock or goat meat as a bait to kill wild animals, including tigers, and leopards, the STF officer said. The explosives are packed in small packets, which are then covered by animal meats to make baits for killing wild animals. The bait explodes in wild animal’s mouth when it bites it, thus killing it on the spot.

The poachers have, so far, killed three tigers, four leopards and 200 wild boars in Balaghat and Seoni forests.