Four poachers nabbed with fishes from Rajaji Tiger Reserve

Dehradun: Four

poachers

, all residents of Dehradun, were sent to jail on Sunday for illegally fishing in the restricted zone of Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR). They were nabbed late on Saturday evening.

The accused were held with several kilograms of fishes that they procured from the protected zone. Two of the accused — Hemant Thapa and Ravi Thapa — are migrant workers who had recently returned to the state from Goa. They used to work as chefs at a restaurant in Goa.

RTR warden Komal Singh confirmed that a case has been registered against them as they entered into the reserve despite the ongoing ban on entry of outsiders due to Covid-19 threat. “A case has been lodged against the four accused — Sunil Thapa (25), Ravi Thapa (27), Hemant Thapa (29), and Vishal Thapa (16) — under sections 35, 27, and 51 of Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972,” said Singh.

Incidentally, eight camera traps have already gone missing from RTR during lockdown and two separate cases of poaching were also recorded at the reserve.