Tiger and Leopard Skins Seized in West Bengal

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Tiger and Leopard Skins Seized in West Bengal

27 July 2006

 

The Alipurduar police arrested Ashok Sharma, the son of known

wildlife trader Ratiram Sharma, with 1 tiger skin and 3 leopard

skins on 25 July 2006.

 

Acting on a tip off, the police followed and stopped a numberless

car that was speeding towards Bhutan. The skins were found in a

bundle inside the car. The police immediately arrested Ashok,

unaware that his father Ratiram had been arrested on 14 July with 4

leopard skins, 11kg tiger bones and skulls and 16kg rhino skins, all

apparently sourced from animals poached in Assam. Ratiram had also

confessed to selling more than 500 musk pods.

 

Ratiram Sharma is one of the main accused in a 1995 rhino horn case,

which is being monitored by WPSI. It would be interesting to know

how many dead tigers, leopards, rhino horns and musk pods have

passed through his hands in the last eleven years, while the case

against him continues to plod forward in court.

 

During interrogation, Ashok confessed that he had been desperate to

dispose of the articles after his father's arrest, and was driving

to Bhutan to meet his buyer. He is now in police custody and the

case will soon be handed to the Forest Department.

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WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI)

S-25 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110017, India

Tel: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5920 & 4163.5921

Fax: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5924

E-mail: wpsi

Website: www.wpsi-india.org

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