Kerala forest officials bust tiger poaching gang, seize skin and claws

In a major crackdown against wildlife crime, Kerala forest officials have busted a seven-member gang and seized a tiger’s skin, claws, and teeth at Kathiroor. Preliminary investigations indicate that the tiger may have been hunted in Karnataka , as the suspects are allegedly linked to poachers operating there.

Forest authorities said they acted on specific intelligence received Friday night about a gang attempting to sell tiger parts. An operation was launched immediately, leading to the arrest of Ashwin from Eruvatti, and Sandheesh and Balan from Cheruvanchery. “From these individuals, we recovered the tiger skin, claws, and teeth . They had arrived at the spot to sell them,” said Nithinraj T , Forest Range Officer, Kottiyoor.

Further interrogation revealed the involvement of Sharath K K of Kallikandy, Rajeesh of Mangad, Vithul from Cheruvanchery, and Rakhil from Malal, all of whom were subsequently arrested. The seized items were examined by a doctor and confirmed to belong to a tiger , and have now been sent for DNA testing as part of ongoing investigations.

Officials said it remains under investigation whether the gang procured the tiger parts directly from poachers. All seven arrested were produced in court on Saturday and remanded to judicial custody. The Forest Department plans to seek custody for further questioning to trace the broader network involved in this poaching racket.