India News | Poacher Behind Killing of Black Tiger in Odisha's Similipal Arrested from Gujarat

Baripada, May 6 (PTI) A suspected poacher, allegedly behind the killing of a black tiger in Odisha's Similipal reserve, was arrested from Gujarat, forest officials said on Tuesday.

He was nabbed on May 4 with the help of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), they said.

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The skin of a melanistic or black tiger was seized in the reserve in January. The tiger was killed by a gunshot in the fringe areas of the reserve, they added.

The accused, identified as Rabindra Naik (24) of Kasikundal village in Mayurbhanj district, has been absconding since then.

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"The accused was located in Gujarat, and with the help of WCCB Central Region, Bhopal, and our own intelligence network, the accused was arrested," an official said.

The gun used for killing the tiger was recovered, and a fingerprint was extracted to prove Naik's involvement, he said.

Also, four tiger claws were seized from his possession, he said.

The accused was produced before a court in Baripada on Monday and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

So far, 11 people have been arrested in this case, and four are still at large, officials said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)