Punjab Forest Department arrests three accused in Nakodar for illegal wildlife parts trade; FIR registered under Wildlife Protection Act.

To safeguard wildlife in Punjab and to prevent related crimes, under the directives issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden Punjab, Shri Basanta Raj Kumar, IFS, Satinder Kumar Sagar, IFS (Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife), and Vishal Chauhan, IFS (Conservator of Forests, Parks and Protected Circle), and in accordance with the zero-tolerance policy towards wildlife offenses, the Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Division Phillaur, Vikram Singh Kundra, IFS, established a team based on confidential information concerning the trafficking of wildlife parts.

The team was established under the leadership of Jaswant Singh, Range Officer, Jalandhar, and comprised Nirmaljit Singh (Block Officer), Malkiat Singh (Forest Guard), Navtej Singh Bath from Jalandhar Range, as well as Ranjit Singh (Block Officer), Bobinder Singh, and Ranbir Singh Uppal from Kapurthala Range.

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The team set a snare in Nakodar, with one member acting as a customer to negotiate a deal with the trafficker. At the scene, Bony Arora, son of Bharat Bhushan and a resident of Nakodar, arrived to deliver the material and was promptly apprehended by the team. From his possession, two severed portions of sambar antlers, six pieces of “hathajodi,” and parts of a wild cat were recovered.

During the interrogation, Bony Arora revealed that this material was sent to him by Shivam Gupta, the son of Gulshan Rai, a resident of Nakodar, who operates a business called “Durga Dass Pansari.” The team promptly carried out a search at Shivam Gupta’s establishment and interrogated him. He acknowledged his involvement in the trade of wildlife parts and confirmed that he personally dispatched the material to Bony Arora for delivery. He further revealed that he acquired this material from Deepak, also known as Kala, son of Vijay Kumar Gupta, a resident of Nakodar, District Jalandhar, who owns an establishment named “Valaiti Ram Pansari and Grocery Store” in Nakodar.

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The team promptly raided Deepak, also known as Kala’s store and recovered two severed pieces of sambar antlers along with one “hathajodi” from his possession. During the interrogation, Deepak, also known as Kala, acknowledged that he had provided this material to Shivam Gupta. The team apprehended all three suspects along with the recovered items and presented them at Police Station Nakodar, where a FIR was registered against them under the pertinent provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (Amended 2003).

On this occasion, Range Officer Jaswant Singh emphasized that trafficking in wildlife parts constitutes a punishable offence, and individuals engaged in such illicit activities will not be exempt from prosecution. Strict legal measures will be enforced against them, and additional investigations are underway to identify other individuals associated with this case.