A daring operation led to arrests

02-04-2010
A daring operation led to arrests
Times of India
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?showST=true&login=default&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&GZ=T&Daily=TOIA&AW=1270200278625

Forest officials posed as traders in animal skin to catch a gang trying to sell a leopard hide as that of a tiger. They used a gang member as a middleman to strike the deal. He escorted the foresters through the Vijaynagar jungles on a bike to the gang. Initially, the foresters got very anxious because there was no communication network in the forest to reach out to their counterparts, in case they were found out. Besides, the accused did not initially show them the skin and marketed it as tiger skin. Although the forest officials were aware of the minute differences between both types of skin, they did not argue much lest they be identified.

Further, the officials feared that even if they were able to lay their hands on the accused, the clinching evidence, the skin, would not be there as the accused did not have it on their person.

They insisted that he get the skin. It was then decided that the car with the officials would wait at a spot while some of the accused would go and get the skin. Soon after the skin was brought the negotiations began and the driver of the car began to take the car towards the main road where a second forester party was already in the waiting. As soon as they reached the spot, the waiting party attacked and arrested the accused.