Poaching in the forests of Kagaznagar Forest Division in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district has certainly come down drastically in the last few years of dedicated work done by the Forest Department, but there still is scope for improvement. A four-day-old incident which has come in the open only on Thursday makes it imperative for enhanced vigil on known poachers and their activities in order to keep up the tempo towards protection of wild animals.
Poachers from Achilli village in Sirpur (T) mandal (Vempalli forest section) had set up electrified wire around an agricultural field close to the forest area with an intent of killing wild animals, on the intervening night of March 1 and 2. But, fate had different plans and one of the three culprits, Lavudia Naresh, hailing from the same village got caught in the wire and was electrocuted.
According to Kagaznagar DSP B. L. N. Swamy, a case has been booked against the two others for negligence causing the death of Naresh. “They had electrified the wire intending to kill wild animals,” he disclosed as he referred to the crime details.
The incident has sent alaram bells ringing as the electrified trap could have resulted even in killing of a tiger. Kagaznagar forest division is teeming with migrant tigers, a couple of which are said to have gone resident and are moving in the area.
The Forest Department is very serious about controlling killing of wild animals through setting up of electrified wires in agriculture fields or forests. The Department has performed well in this regard is evident from the sharp decline in poaching of wildlife even for the purpose of meat.
Apparently, the fear of being accused of negligence had some forest officials and staff at field level ‘staging’ seizure of snares and wires from the same place, a day before the death of the poacher. “The officials manipulated the date and timing in a camera and took photographs with snares to prove that they were active and alive to the threat of poaching in the area,” alleged an official.
