Nagpur: After a long gap of 12 years, the gang of dreaded Baheliya poachers from Madhya Pradesh have once again become active in Maharashtra. In a major breakthrough, the Maharashtra Forest Department recently nabbed Ajit Rajgond, the kingpin of the poaching gang. Following his arrest, a statewide “red alert” has been issued.
Forest officials across all six tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and regional forests in Maharashtra have been instructed to intensify patrolling round the clock and verify the identities of new settlers in villages near forested areas.
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Ajit is known to be an expert in tiger poaching, with multiple cases registered against him in both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. His return to Vidarbha after 12 years has raised serious concerns, with experts suspecting that at least 10 tigers may have fallen victim to poaching in central India.
A similar surge in tiger poaching was witnessed in 2013, and officials fear that history may be repeating itself. There are concerns that Baheliya poachers have infiltrated not just Maharashtra’s wildlife zones but also its regional forest divisions, making it a serious challenge for the Forest Department and the state government to curb the menace.
Who are the Baheliya poachers?
The Baheliya tribe originates from Katni district in Madhya Pradesh and is notorious for its traditional expertise in tiger hunting. They use specialized steel traps, commonly referred to as “Baheliya Traps” or “Katni Traps”, to capture tigers. These poachers operate in highly organized gangs and have a long history of illegal wildlife hunting.
Disappearing tigers in Vidarbha
Tourists and wildlife enthusiasts have reported a disturbing number of missing tigers from Maharashtra, especially from the Vidarbha region, over the past one or two years.
Recently, two tiger cubs died of starvation in Pench after their mother went missing. Similarly, the world-famous tigress Maya from Tadoba has also been missing for months.
Forest officials have uncovered financial transactions worth ₹70 lakh linked to Ajit Rajgond’s mobile records, raising fears that these missing tigers may have been poached and sold in the illegal wildlife trade.
The kingpin Ajit Rajgond, was arrested from Chandrapur, which is known as a paradise for the big cats, is seen as a major concern as the number of tigers in the district has seen a significant rise. As per official data, there are more than 100 tigers in the area, including the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, which also resulted in the increasing human-wildlife conflict.
Smugglers caught earlier in 2021
In 2021, the Butibori Forest Department in Nagpur arrested some accused of smuggling tiger parts. Later, the probe revealed that tigers were being hunted in the Pombhurna and Sindewahi areas of the district. In December, two accused were arrested from Lohara. However, it was not revealed that a large gang was active in this.
