Poacher Kuttu gets 12-day forest custody

Nagpur: The court of assistant chief judicial magistrate on Wednesday granted 12-day forest custody remand (FCR) to notorious tiger poacher Kuttu Chhiyalal Rajgond (35), belonging to the Baheliya community from Katni in Madhya Pradesh. Kuttu was dramatically arrested from his native village Biruhali in Rithi tehsil in Katni on Tuesday morning by CBI, which is investigating tiger poaching cases in Maharashtra. Three forest men were injured after women pelted stones at the raiding party opposing the arrest of Kuttu. In the melee, two dreaded poachers Keru and Sheru fled.Kuttu was brought to Nagpur late night and produced in the court by the CBI and forest officials on Wednesday. Special counsel for the forest department Kartik Shukul arguing the matter told the court that Kuttu was directly involved in poaching of tigers in the region and his custody was needed for spot verification and wide links with others.On the contrary, counsel for accused Prakash Masurkar opposed the custody saying that he was innocent and had no role to play in poaching.However, Kuttu was closely linked with arrested poachers, who are presently lodged in jail. His name figures in confession statements of the accused. He is also suspected to have poached a tiger near Nagzira in 2013.According to CBI sources, Kuttu is a hardened poacher and while being brought to Nagpur he had attempted to flee but was caught. The court has directed the forest department to provide additional forest guards for protection.