Tribal from Maharashtra arrested with huge cache of animal parts in Belagavi

He was selling them to his contacts in and around Belagavi. His customers are mostly shop-keepers who sell religious and pooja items.

The CID forest cell of Belagavi arrested a 60-year-old tribal from Maharashtra who was carrying a huge cache of animal parts, including Black Buck pelts, horns, skulls, Sloth Bear teeth, jungle cat jaws and paws.

On being alerted by wildlife volunteers, a police team led by Sub-inspector Rohini Patil raided Bagaluru bus stand in Sindagi taluk on April 12. They found Pawan Jaffar Bhonsle carrying a huge number of animal body parts, including 807 Monitor Lizard penis, which he claimed has medicinal value.

The team also seized 116 sea fans, two jungle cat paws, two jungle cat nails, three Sloth Bear nails, 28 Pond Heron legs, two Monitor Lizard legs, 73 Spotted Owl feathers, four bear teeth, 32 mangoose legs, seven mangoose jaws, 16 products made of mangoose pelt, 26 Wild Boar teeth, three Sloth Bear nails, four Black Buck horns, two Black Buck trophies, seven Black Buck skin.

The accused had sourced the wildlife articles and body parts from his contacts in the tribal community in Maharashtra and Gujarat. He was selling them to his contacts in and around Belagavi. His customers are mostly shop-keepers who sell religious and pooja items.

The accused has been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, and placed in custody for 15 days .