(IN): Wildlife seized from top astrologer's shop

[Guest guest]

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar2709/at03

Astrologer Kero Young absconding

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 26 – Wednesday’s seizure of wildlife body parts from a

well-known astrologer’s shop in the city – coming close on the heels of a

huge seizure of similar contraband wildlife products near Manas National

Park – has once again brought to the fore the growing menace and its

multiple dimensions. The seizure from Ratna Kuber, run by astrologer ‘Kero

Young’, included skins, bones and skulls of animals such as tiger, wildcat,

monkey, pangolin, monitor lizard, deer, fox, etc. The revelation strongly

suggests that the illegal wildlife trade is far widespread than previously

thought of, and that apart from the international market, wildlife products

have a good demand in the domestic market as well.

 

Meanwhile, a case had been registered against Kero Young, the owner of Ratna

Kuber, who is still said to be absconding.

 

“The illegal trade in wildlife body parts is nothing short of the alarming.

In recent times quite a few seizures have been made, and in all likelihood

it is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg,” a conservation activist said,

adding that the poor security mechanism in terms of both infrastructure and

manpower in the State’s forests and the apathy of the Government in making

conservation a priority were largely responsible for the mess.

 

“We have registered a case under the Wildlife Protection Act before the

judicial magistrate against Kero Young, who has been absconding, and some of

his employees are being interrogated,” SK Sealsarma, DFO, Guwahati Wildlife

Division, said.

 

The developments also underscore the need for better coordination between

forest, police and other departments for ensuring a hard crackdown on the

illegal trade. Wednesday’s seizure came following an income tax raid, with

the IT authorities intimating the forest officials after they stumbled upon

the animal body parts.

 

A City Police official said that the Forest Department had not yet

registered a police case following the seizure. He, however, said that the

illegal business of wildlife products was rampant in the city and that

frequent raids could result in busting of such rackets.

 

Wildlife body parts are widely used in connection with many tantric and

astrological rituals and medicines, and police believe that a close watch on

those activities is necessary for checking use of illegally-possessed

wildlife parts.

 

--

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui