Chhattisgarh: Cong alleges rise in tiger poaching, wildlife smuggling in Bastar

The opposition Congress on Wednesday alleged in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly that wildlife smugglers had become active in the Bastar region after it was declared free of Left-Wing Extremism, a charge rejected by the state government.

The government, however, said five cases of tiger poaching or trafficking had been detected in Chhattisgarh since 2024, leading to the seizure of six tiger skins and the arrest of 41 accused.

Raising the issue through a calling attention motion, Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant and Congress MLAs Sheshraj Harbansh and Vikram Mandavi expressed concern over alleged tiger poaching in the Indravati Tiger Reserve in Bijapur district.

They claimed three tigers had been poached around five months ago and two more recently. In the latest operation, a joint police and forest department team arrested five people and seized two tiger skins, they said.

The Congress legislators also claimed those arrested included personnel associated with the Maharashtra Police who were posted near the Chhattisgarh border.

According to the Opposition, WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) had advised the state forest headquarters in May to intensify patrolling and surveillance in areas reporting tiger and leopard movement.

Despite the advisory, the department failed to act effectively, the legislators alleged. They said crores of rupees were spent annually on tiger conservation, but the poaching and smuggling of tiger skins and body parts continued.

Bastar, which had grappled with Left-Wing Extremism for more than four decades, was declared free of armed Maoists on 31 March, coinciding with the Centre's deadline to eliminate the menace from the country.

Minister rejects link with end of 'red terror'

Responding to the allegations, Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap rejected the claim that wildlife smugglers had become active following the end of "red terror" in Bastar. He also denied that three tigers had been poached in the Indravati Tiger Reserve five months ago.

Kashyap told the House that a wildlife offence was registered in the Dantewada forest division on 17 March following the seizure of a tiger skin.

Based on the statement of an accused, authorities suspected the tiger had been poached inside the Indravati Tiger Reserve. Fourteen accused have been arrested in the case, which is pending before a court, he said.

The minister said that during a joint anti-poaching operation on 29 June, two people were intercepted on the Bande-Pakhanjur road in Kanker district while allegedly transporting two tiger skins from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra to Chhattisgarh.

The team seized two tiger skins, 13 whiskers and a motorcycle from the accused, identified as Gadchiroli residents Biyeshwar Gedam and Baburao Madavi, he said.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that Gedam was a constable with the "intelligence cell of the Maharashtra Police's Special Branch in Gadchiroli, while Madavi was a police informer", Kashyap said.

Following their arrests, the Maharashtra Police suspended Gedam and disengaged Madavi, he added.

Tiger remains sent for DNA analysis

Kashyap said sustained searches along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border later led to the recovery of a third tiger skin concealed near the Indravati river.

Authorities also seized snares, knives, 12 claws and four canine teeth from the houses of suspects in Netiwada village.

Samples have been sent to WII (Wildlife Institute of India) for DNA analysis to establish the genetic and geographical origin of the seized wildlife remains, the minister said.

Seven more accused were arrested on 6 July, while three forest personnel were suspended for alleged negligence, he added.

Kashyap acknowledged that the WCCB had issued a general advisory to forest departments, police and security agencies in May to remain vigilant in sensitive wildlife areas. However, he denied that the agency had specifically warned of tiger poaching or trafficking in the Indravati Tiger Reserve.

Rejecting the Congress's allegation that seven to eight tigers had been poached during the incumbent government's tenure, Kashyap said five tiger poaching or trafficking cases had been detected since 2024, resulting in the seizure of six tiger skins and the arrest of 41 accused.

He said anti-snare operations were being conducted in forests and the government was taking strict action against offenders and negligent officials.

Responding to a supplementary question from Congress MLA Vikram Mandavi, the minister said five tigers had been officially confirmed in the Indravati Tiger Reserve in the 2022 assessment.

Although six tiger skins had been recovered in separate cases, it had not yet been scientifically established that all belonged to tigers from the Indravati Tiger Reserve, Kashyap said.

The reserve has an annual budget of around Rs 10 crore, he added.