Poachers attack forest personnel during raid in Sunderbans
KOLKATA: Ten forest personnel, including a deputy ranger of state forest department, were injured after being attacked by the poachers during a raid in Sunderbans.
All the injured persons were taken to a city hospital for treatment.
The forest ranger sustained serious injuries in the backbone.
Police have so far arrested one person in this connection. Raids are being conducted to nab the other culprits, who were involved in the incident.
Acting on the information, a team of forest department officials headed by divisional forest officer of Moipith conducted a raid at Purba Gurguria village under the coastal police station. They had specific information that some poachers have taken refuge in the area.
It became evident after the decomposed body of a royal Bengal tiger was found on April 9 in Ajmalmari forest in Sunderbans as the forest officials recovered a trap from the spot.
The forest department officials had gathered information that some local villagers extended shelter to the poachers.
As the team entered into the area, a large number of villagers attacked them.
The villagers came to know that the forest department officials would enter into the village.
They became alert as the forest personnel stepped into Gurguria village. An irate mob attacked the forest personnel with sharp weapons.
The forest department officials alleged that the villagers tried to kill the forest officials only to shield the poachers who have taken shelter in the village.
They also alleged that some villagers might have been involved in an unholy nexus with the poachers. Some of the forest department is baffled to see the villagers are extending helping hands to the poachers.
On the contrary the villagers residing in the buffer areas of the forest help the forest department to save the wildlife.
It is also suspected that the trap which was found lying near the tiger's body might have been used as a bait by the poachers to catch deer. A detailed probe has been initiated in this regard.
