Tiger skin, parts recovered in WCCB-led operation

Guwahati, Feb 8: A joint operation led by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Guwahati led to the recovery of skin of a full grown Royal Bengal tiger and multiple tiger body parts from a petrol depot near the national highway at Banderdewa in Assam on Tuesday.

The other tiger body parts seized by the teams include four canines, 18 nails, bones and a skull weighing 14.400kg, WCCB sources said.

Teams from the Harmuti Range under Lakhimpur Division, Assam Police, Arunachal forest and police departments were part of the operation commanded by WCCB SRO (Guwahati) assistant director in-charge, Jawaharlal Baro.

Three persons – Tape Yomcha and Naynay Yomcha from Arunachal Pradesh and Probin Doley from Assam – were detained by the joint teams in connection with the recovery of the tiger parts.

The operation was based on inputs developed by WCCB sub-regional office, Guwahati.

“During preliminary interrogation, it came to light that the tiger was poached in retaliatory killing as it was hunting down cattle in the villages under West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The case has been handed over to the Harmuti Range for further investigation,” an official statement said.