Since the Gondmohadi poaching incident the TATR and all tiger bearing territories in Chandrapur are on high alert. Everybody on patrol in and around TATR were alerted on Sunday night and all patrolling vehicles in TATR and buffer areas along Palasgaon and Chimur range were diverted to Alizanja area of the reserve to look for the gang which entered the reserve from Wamangaon side during midnight, sources said.
Speaking to TOI, field director and CCF, TATR, Virendra Tiwari confirmed the intrusion of unknown people into TATR on Sunday night. "A gang was sighted by van majoors (forest labourers) posted at Wamangaon protection hut. They were eight in number and clad in black dress. The labourers immediately intimated the higher officers," he said.
"We are not sure about the motive of their intrusion. It could be a gang of thieves that had moved into jungle for shelter. But, possibility of it being a poachers gang is also not ruled out. We are taking no chances. Intense foot patrolling has also been ordered inside the jungle," said Tiwari.
Other officials in forest department claimed that there were three forest labourers at protection hut, while number of intruders was eight. The labourers feared to take on the gang which fled towards Alizanja jungle of Tadoba. Monday was full moon night. Seasoned poachers prefer full moon nights for poaching as visibility is at the highest. No trace of the gang was found till late in the evening. Read the full report here.
Source: Mazhar Ali, TNN, Chandrapur.
