Top officers transferred

The West Bengal government has decided to deal with tiger poaching with an iron hand.

The West Bengal government has decided to deal with tiger poaching with an iron hand. On Friday, three top-level forest officers, including the director of Sunderban Tiger Reserve, were transferred after it was confirmed that a tiger was shot dead by poachers on October 6.

The issue came to light after a Royal Bengal Tiger was found dead in one of the ravines of Sajnekhali in the Sunderbans on October 6. Later, the CID took up the matter for investigation. The state government, meanwhile, took stern action prompted by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and transferred the three officers 8212; Sunderban Tiger Reserve director Niraj Singhal, Sunderban Biosphere Reserve director Pradip Shukla and chief wildlife warden S S Bist.

8220;Preliminary investigation pointed towards the fact that poachers are active in Sunderbans. The tiger was shot in the head from an elevated position, twice. There were no other injury marks. We expect to make arrests soon,8221; said Bhupinder Singh, ADJ, CID. According to the ADG, the shots were fired from a 12-bore rifle commonly used by the poachers.

State Forest Minister Ananta Roy said: 8220;The incident has been an eye-opener for us. The officers failed to discharge their responsibilities and therefore were transferred.8221;

8220;The chief minister has given us a free hand to take action. We have initiated a departmental inquiry into the incident apart from the ongoing CID probe. If other officers are found involved they will also be punished,8221; Roy added.

Sources in the CID, meanwhile, said the probe has revealed that a wide network of poachers is active in the Sunderbans. Apart from deers and other wild animals, Royal Bengal tigers are their prime targets.

8220;In this case, the poachers were either sitting on a tree top or on a 8216;machan8217;. It seems that they are highly organised. Somehow, the tiger fell into the ravines after being shot and they could not get the body,8221; said a CID officer.

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Sleuths also said the network of poachers were linked to both forest officials as well as international traders engaged in trade of tiger skin and body parts. 8220;The poachers are mostly locals and there is an elaborate network of touts who are also linked to the international market dealing with tiger parts, which are in high demand. Some of the forest officials are also directly linked with the racket,8221; the officer added.