March poaching case: Haridwar ranger, two forest guards transferred

Haridwar: Months after bones and skins of two tigers and two leopards were seized from

Haridwar

range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR), the forest department has transferred range officer A S Gusain and two forest guards who were found “tampering with evidence”. The two forest guards were posted in the range at the time of the incident in March this year.

Jai Raj, head of the forest force, told TOI, “Action has been taken against Haridwar ranger and two forest guards as they were found to be tampering with evidence collected from the spot during seizure of remains recovered from the Dudhia beat of Haridwar range.”

Anoop Singh Gusain was transferred to the office of forest conservator Yamuna Circle and both forest guards were transferred to audit office of the chief conservator of forests in Dehradun.

Director of RTR Sanatan Sonkar and the wildlife warden of Haridwar range Komal Singh have also been asked to submit reports in the case in which leopard and tiger skins, flesh and bones were recovered from four different pits in Dudhia beat of Haridwar range on March 22 by the forest department.

The remains were sent to Wildlife Institute of India for investigation. The inquiry was handed over to chief conservator of forests Manoj Chandran who submitted a report to the head of the forest force Jai Raj.

In May, IFS officer SanjivChaturvedi had also been asked to investigate the matter by the forest department.

Meanwhile, RTR director Sanatan Sonkar said that he was not present on the spot during recovery of the skin, flesh and bones of big cats and that he has submitted his explanation.

“I have already given my replies in this regard to the department,” he said.