Poaching gang busted after 20 years

After a major operation against tiger and leopard skin and body parts traders, Delhi Police on Sunday claimed to have busted the ‘biggest gang of poachers and smugglers’ evading arrest for more than 20 years.

Over 18 kilos of tiger skulls, bones, nails and teeth worth several crores of rupees were recovered from three persons arrested for illegal sale and supply of derivatives of endangered animals under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The accused have been identified as Surajpal, 65, Suraj Bhan, 28, and Naresh, 32. According to Ravindra Yadav, Additional Commissioner of Police (crime and railways), the recovered derivatives are in demand in China and south east Asia.

“A well preserved and stuffed tiger sells for several crores in international market,” Yadav added.
On sustained interrogation, the accused told police that the derivatives were purchased from a herdsman in Nagina town in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district. Nagina lies in the foothills below Uttarakhand and is adjacent to and right in between Jim Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park.

An interesting fact has come to light that the poachers used to offer their domestic animals, pasted with poison, as a bait to attract tigers. Dead tigers were later found within a radius of 6-10 kms.
The poachers also kept an eye over the tiger’s activities and immediately after death, they took away the tiger from jungle to their cordoned area. “The skin and all the derivatives are taken out, dried and applied preservatives before being smuggled,” Yadav said.

The gang was busted over an input that Suraj was indulging in the illegal trade. It was also informed that Suraj and his father Daliya used to be poachers for Sansar Chand, who has been in jail since 2005 in a Wildlife Protection Act case.

After Chand’s arrest, the gang became the most active and notorious in this field. Sources later confirmed that Suraj would be coming in a Tata Manza Car near Kashmere Gate ISBT along with derivatives of endangered animals.  

“A police team then swung into action along with staff of Maharashtra Forest Department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of Delhi, and laid a trap at Chandgi Ram Akhara,” Yadav added.
At the instance of an informer, the target car was stopped with the help of barricades after which Suraj and Naresh were apprehended.

Over 18 kilos of skull, teeth, nails and bones of a tiger were recovered from the car’s trunk, while Rs 2.70 lakh cash was found under the front left seat. Accordingly, a case under sections of Wildlife Protection Act was registered with crime branch police station.

Suraj and Naresh told police that they were lured by Surajpal and were given an advance payment of Rs 6 lakh. “Surajpal is the biggest trader in this field and has been active for more than 20 years”.

At the instance of Suraj and Naresh, Surajpal was also been arrested and Rs 50 lakh cash and tiger nails were recovered from his house in north-west Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar.

Surajpal’s source of supply is from poachers of denotified tribe belonging to different villages of Sonipat district in Haryana and other parts of the country. Surajpal is known to have contacts with about 50-60 families of Rathdhana in Sonipat and other villages, who kill animals for him.

His network of poachers and smugglers is spread all over the country and is the biggest and strongest in this field.

“Even in terms of trading, Surajpal is rated as the best supplier of tiger skin all over India. This was revealed during Chand’s interrogation many years ago,” the officer said.

Suraj has disclosed that he had earlier procured six tiger skins and derivatives for Surajpal from Nagpur in Maharashtra. Surajpal had paid Rs 20 lakh as advance for the deal to Suraj, who purchased the skins and derivatives for Rs 3.5 lakh each.