Nearly half a dozen slum colonies of the district of Haridwar are under scanner of the forest department as those residing in them are suspected to be housing the poaching gang communities – Bawariya, Kukkar and the likes. The forest officers say that the gangsters mingle with the local people in these slum colonies and target the wild animals of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Recently on 14 March, a member of Bawaria gang was caught with wildlife derivatives, including five tiger pelts and bones, by the Special Task Force of Uttarakhand Police. The accused of the Bawariya gang along with his accomplices had hunted the tigers in the forest areas bordering Kotdwar and Nazibabad. When brought on remand in the city by Shyampur Police, the poly packs used to keep the tiger pelts were recovered by the police. During interrogation, the accused Chandra revealed that the people of the gang had stayed in Kotkhadar village of Nazibabad while carrying out the poaching operation.
The park authorities of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve are alert too and they along with the forest department are keeping an eye on the activities of the Bawariya gang in the slum colonies.
Speaking to The Pioneer, wildlife warden of Rajaji Tiger Reserve Ajay Sharma said, “Nearly half a dozen colonies are under vigilance of the forest department. They are always under scanner, but following the incident of seizure of tiger pelts, the patrolling of the forest guards has been intensified.”