Tiger skins seized in Punjab, two Karnataka women held

AMRITSAR - Forest department officials have arrested here two Karnataka-based women for possessing tiger skins and other wildlife material, an official said Wednesday.

“We have recovered skins of two tigers, aged around four. We have also recovered tiger nails, teeth, rare rudraksh and kasturis from them. We are trying to ascertain the source from where they had smuggled these items,” divisional forest officer Sewa Singh said here.

The two women, Geeta and Takka, were arrested late Tuesday. They came to Amritsar a few days ago and were trying to sell the wildlife items here, around 250 km from Chandigarh.

“Acting on a tip-off, we conducted a raid late Tuesday and arrested the women. Our officials were sent as decoy customers and the deal was struck for Rs.100,000 for the two skins.”

The forest department has also confiscated the women’s three mobile phones and are verifying their past call details.

“This recovery is an achievement and we suspect that more people are involved in this racket,” said Singh.