Wildlife Crimes in Vidarbha: Five Years of Poaching and Trafficking Uncovered

thenewsdirt
4 days ago
10 min read

Tiger pelt, antlers, claws, bones, and a rifle displayed on the ground showing the Wildlife Crimes in Vidarbha. — Wildlife Crimes in Vidarbha

In June 2019, forest officers raided a farmhouse in Vidarbha and made a gruesome discovery.

Buried near an illegally electrified fence was the carcass of a tiger, and inside the house lay a cache of wildlife contraband of tiger skin pieces, 22 tiger claws, leopard claws, wild boar meat and deer antlers.

The raid led to seven arrests, busting a local poaching gang that had killed at least three tigers and one leopard in the area.

This early case signalled an alarming trend. In the five years since, Vidarbha’s forests have been scarred by a series of Wildlife Protection Act violations, from the poisoning of a tigress and her cubs to the smuggling of pangolins, tortoises and even ambergris (a rare whale byproduct). Authorities and conservationists are grappling with an uptick in wildlife crimes that threatens the region’s rich biodiversity.

Tiger and Leopard Poaching Rings

Incidents of tiger and leopard poaching have persisted in Vidarbha, home to five of Maharashtra’s six tiger reserves.

The 2019 Bhandara case was a chilling example. A gang of local poachers, including a habitual offender, had been using live electrical wires as traps to kill wildlife, from wild boar to big cats.

Investigators found that the group likely electrocuted numerous animals over the years, a fact underscored by the recovery of so many claws and carcass parts. “Despite all efforts, electrocution still remains the biggest killer,” noted Nitin Desai of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, warning that such poachers operating in crucial forest corridors could be driving local tiger declines. The case highlighted how organised hunting methods, like wire snares and poison baits, continue to imperil Vidarbha’s iconic species.

Tragically, the very next year saw another egregious crime. In June 2020, a tigress and her two cubs were found dead near a pond in Chandrapur district under suspicious circumstances. Forest officers soon confirmed that the big cats had been poisoned.

According to officials, a trio of villagers killed a wild boar with a toxic concoction of mahua flower extract and left the carcass as bait. The tigress and cubs fed on it and died within 200 metres of the spot. All three accused, residents of a nearby village, were arrested under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. “The tigress and its two cubs ate the poisoned boar and died almost immediately,” said Nitin Kakodkar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) in Maharashtra.

In this case, the poachers had not even taken any body parts, a telltale sign that revenge or local conflict (rather than trafficking) might have motivated the killing, since the carcasses were left intact. The poisoning sent shockwaves through the conservation community and underscored how even remote buffer zones were vulnerable to such offences.

These are not isolated incidents. Data obtained by a court-appointed amicus curiae showed Maharashtra lost 160 tigers since 2019, with Vidarbha emerging as the worst-hit region.

Many tiger deaths in the region have been attributed to organised poaching networks, often camouflaged as cases of electrocution or poisoning in the field. In fact, during the COVID-19 lockdown period, poachers appeared to exploit reduced wildlife monitoring.

A recent study noted that 12 tiger poaching cases were documented in Vidarbha between 2021 and 2023, the majority of them during the pandemic when patrols were relaxed. This surge coincided with a rise in leopard poaching as well. Forest department figures show a spike in big cat killings around 2019–2020.

The modus operandi in many cases involves stealth and opportunism: snares, concealed pits, poison-laced baits, and electrocution via farm fences have all been used by Vidarbha’s poachers. These methods make detection difficult and prove deadly for wildlife. Each tiger or leopard lost is a blow to India’s conservation efforts, and in Vidarbha, such losses have been mounting.

Trafficking of Lesser-Known Species

While tigers grab headlines, a parallel crisis has unfolded in Vidarbha involving lesser-known protected species. Smugglers in the region have been caught targeting everything from pangolins to exotic snakes.

In December 2021, forest officers in Gondia district arrested ten individuals attempting to sell leopard body parts at a school ground.

The gang had killed a leopard in the nearby jungle and kept its claws, canines and whiskers to peddle on the black market.

All were booked under the Wildlife Act. This incident revealed that wildlife trafficking in Vidarbha isn’t limited to large syndicates. Even small local groups are hunting and trading in endangered fauna for profit.

According to a comprehensive study by a Maharashtra forest officer, dozens of cases involving non-charismatic species have come to light recently. Between July 2021 and July 2023, authorities uncovered 33 cases of wildlife trafficking across Vidarbha, ranging from tiger and leopard poaching to illicit trade in reptiles and birds.

Notably, five cases each involved pangolins and leopards, two involved bird species, and there was one case each of a star tortoise, a red sand boa, and even a sperm whale byproduct (ambergris).

In total, 28 endangered animals were killed in those cases (their body parts seized by officials), and another six live creatures, including pangolins and tortoises, were rescued from traffickers.

These numbers point to a diversifying wildlife crime scenario. Beyond the well-known tigers and elephants, smaller endangered creatures are being targeted for traditional medicine, the pet trade, and superstitious rituals, where their parts can fetch high prices.

A striking example was the seizure of ambergris in Nagpur in 2022. Ambergris, a waxy substance produced in the intestines of sperm whales, is highly valued in the perfume industry, and illegal to possess or sell in India because sperm whales are a protected species.

In June 2022, acting on a tip, Nagpur’s forest division nabbed four men in the Ganeshpeth area with 1.3 kg of ambergris (worth ₹40 lakh) packaged for sale. It was the first ambergris bust ever recorded in the region, and the culprits were promptly remanded to custody under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Officials believe the accused procured the contraband from coastal states and intended to funnel it to buyers in Mumbai and abroad. The case exposed a new dimension of wildlife crime in Vidarbha, an inland region now entangled in the illicit marine wildlife trade.

Similarly, forest teams have intercepted smugglers with live Indian star tortoises (prized in the pet market) and red sand boas (snakes often killed for purported magical properties). “Along with conservation of carnivores like tiger and leopard, there is an utmost need to concentrate on lesser-known Schedule I animals like pangolin, red sand boa, star tortoise, etc., as the trafficking of these animals is on the rise in Vidarbha,” warns Narendra Chandewar, a divisional forest officer who led the recent study.

In short, Vidarbha’s wildlife traffickers have cast a wide net, putting several threatened species at risk and challenging law enforcement to broaden its vigilance.

Organised Syndicates Uncovered

Behind many of these cases lies the shadow of organised crime syndicates that operate across state and national borders.

In late 2024, a poaching incident in Chandrapur’s Rajura forest range opened the lid on one such far-reaching network. Forest guards had found a tiger carcass along with improvised hunting weapons and traps near Rajura, indicating a well-planned poaching operation.

The Maharashtra Forest Department launched an intensive investigation, forming Special Investigation Teams (SITs) with help from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and police. Over the next two months, authorities uncovered a pan-India wildlife trafficking syndicate with links stretching from central India to the Northeast states and beyond.

As the case unfolded, it became clear that tiger skins and bones from Vidarbha and neighbouring areas were being smuggled via Assam and Mizoram into Myanmar, and onward to China’s illegal wildlife markets. The Rajura tiger poaching case, once a local crime, turned out to be part of a much larger transnational racket.

By early 2025, officials had named 29 people as key accused in the Rajura case, with 13 already arrested and others on the run. Those in custody included local poachers, middlemen, and even financial facilitators from as far as Mizoram and Meghalaya who helped route money for the illegal trade.

Investigators traced bank transactions and discovered a money trail of ₹7.5 crore linked to the sale of tiger parts, suggesting that well over 100 tigers may have been killed across India in the past five years by this syndicate’s activities. “The poaching operation was part of a sophisticated, organised crime network operating at national and international level,” explained Sweta Boddu, the deputy conservator of forests heading the probe.

The enforcement response has been equally robust. Special Tiger Protection Force units, cybercrime experts, and interstate coordination all contributed to cracking the case.

One of the most notorious figures ensnared in the crackdown was Ajit Rajgond alias “Pardhi”, a name long feared in India’s tiger ranges.

Ajit, a history-sheeter from a traditional hunting community, was arrested in a forest camp near Rajura in January 2025. Forest officers seized weapons and snares from his hideout, though the man himself had cleverly avoided keeping any tiger parts on hand. Investigators say Ajit and his gang have poached over 30 tigers across India in the past two decades.

He had been convicted for a 2006 tiger skin smuggling case and even jailed, yet managed to return to poaching after release. In mid-2024, Ajit was caught in Madhya Pradesh for killing a tiger but was released on bail in September, only to resurface in Vidarbha’s forests months later. His re-arrest, along with that of his family members and associates, revealed how organised poacher gangs continually adapt and shift locations to evade authorities. “This gang primarily operates in areas without camera traps or steals the cameras before setting their traps,” one expert noted, explaining how Ajit’s crew avoided detection in tiger reserves. The fact that such a high-profile poacher could remain at large highlighted gaps in surveillance and the legal system’s inability to keep repeat offenders behind bars.

Now, with Ajit and others in custody, officials are combing through phone records and financial ledgers to map the full extent of the network.

The recent spate of busts has not gone unnoticed by the judiciary. In February 2025, the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench took cognisance of the region’s tiger poaching crisis during a hearing on wildlife conservation.

Citing the alarming statistic of “670 tigers dead in five years in India” and Vidarbha’s outsized share of these losses, the court pressed authorities for urgent action. It even directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to assist in wildlife crime cases if requested, given the inter-state links of poaching gangs. The high court highlighted instances of tiger body parts being smuggled by networks spanning from Maharashtra to the Northeast, underlining the need for inter-agency coordination.

Perhaps most notably, the amicus curiae in the case recommended setting up special fast-track courts under the Wildlife Protection Act in every district to ensure poaching trials aren’t bogged down in procedural delays. This reflects a growing consensus that wildlife crimes, often seen as “soft” crimes, must be met with swifter and sterner justice to deter offenders. As Vidarbha’s example shows, lax enforcement or slow prosecution can enable poachers to persist or regroup.

Ongoing Fight Against Wildlife Crime in Vidarbha

The wave of Wildlife Protection Act violations in Vidarbha over the past five years paints a sobering picture.

The region’s mosaic of national parks, tiger corridors and village woodlands has become a battleground between resourceful wildlife criminals and committed guardians of the law.

On one hand, the sheer volume of cases, 163 suspects arrested in 33 wildlife crime cases in just two years, per official records, illustrates the scale of the threat.

On the other hand, the successful operations by forest departments, from busting local poachers in Bhandara to dismantling international smuggling rings in Chandrapur, demonstrate an unprecedented enforcement resolve. “Highlighting the scale of illegal wildlife trade, the high court noted that several of these cases remain under investigation,” with probes continuing to trace every link in the chain.

Going forward, authorities are bolstering intelligence networks and surveillance technology (such as camera traps and drone patrols) to prevent poachers from striking unseen. There is also a push for greater community engagement, enlisting local villagers as allies in reporting wildlife offences, rather than having them fall prey to trafficking lures.

Experts emphasise that legal deterrents must keep pace with the ingenuity of wildlife criminals. The recent study on Vidarbha’s wildlife crime urged stricter penalties and better enforcement of protection laws to dissuade traffickers. It recommended measures like dedicated wildlife crime courts, enhanced border checks, and alternative livelihoods to reduce poaching incentives.

The state government appears to be heeding some of this advice. Specialised quick-response teams have been deployed in tiger-bearing districts, and coordination with customs and police agencies is being strengthened for wildlife contraband interceptions. Conservationists note that Vidarbha, with its five tiger reserves and countless other endangered species, has a lot to lose if wildlife crime is not contained. Each poaching incident not only decimates precious fauna but also undercuts years of conservation investment in the region.

Encouragingly, the crackdown in recent months has signalled that perpetrators will be pursued relentlessly. Courts are also stepping up, for instance, moves are afoot to cancel bail for repeat offenders like the fugitive members of the Pardhi gang. Such steps are intended to send a clear message that wildlife crime is a serious crime.

The fight, however, is far from over. Poachers are driven by lucrative black-market demand (tiger parts, for example, command exorbitant prices in illegal markets abroad), which means new players may always emerge.

The challenge for Vidarbha’s authorities will be to stay one step ahead through intelligence-led patrols and by choking off trade networks.

As the cases from 2019 to 2023 have shown, vigilance and quick action can yield results, be it rescuing a live pangolin from traffickers or catching a van full of tiger bones before it leaves the state. The hope among officials and wildlife lovers is that these hard-fought victories will ultimately deter others from engaging in such crimes.

After all, the survival of Vidarbha’s famed wildlife hangs in the balance. As a recent study concluded, “The seizure of live pangolin and star tortoise is alarming… This highlights the need for better enforcement of wildlife protection laws and stricter penalties for those who engage in wildlife trafficking and poaching.”