With the arrest of a man, the UP‘s Special Task Force (STF) claimed to have busted a gang of wildlife animal smugglers active in the state.
The sleuths have recovered two iron traps used to trap tigers for poaching. The miscreant arrested was identified as Tejpal Maurya of Bahraich district and was arrested when he was on prey in the dense woods at Kartaniyaghat forest range. Giving the information, the official spokesman told that Forest Officer Kartaniyaghat, Ashish Tiwari had requested the STF to keep a vigil on wildlife animal smuggler,Tejpal, who was active in the forest.
The sleuths worked on the case and collected details about the gang’s activities and its modus operandi. It surfaced that Tejpal used to poach the wild life animals with the help of his gang and used to sell the remains of the animals illegally killed. The sleuths also come to know that some members of Bawriaya gang were also assisting Tejpal in the ‘work’ and Tejpal used to hole up Nepal after killing of the animals.
The police activated it surveillance team for help. The sleuths were tipped off that Tejpal and his gang had identified a tiger and they had laid trap to poach the animal. The cops raided the place and nabbed Tejpal. He owned up his crime and told police that he had got a recee conducted for the tiger which was identified as prey and that his gang members had laid the iron traps inside the woods. His aides managed to escape the scene.
Tejpal further confessed that he came in contact with a Bawariya gang kingpin several years back and there after he stepped in the smuggling. The police are interrogating the miscreant and search of the absconding miscreants are on.