15 arrested in Gir lion poaching case

Junagadh, Gujarat, Apr 7 (UNI) Sleuths of the CID crime branch today nabbed 15 members of a gang of poachers, including 13 women, from Una village under Babari range of Gir sanctuary in connection with recent deaths of Asiatic lions over the past one month.

The police claimed they recovered claws of lions and nails of rabbits from them.

The gang-members hail from Madhya Pradesh, sources said.

However, the gang leader Sarkaslal has not yet been found.

During preliminary interrogation the gangsters admitted that their leader used to sell skin, bones and claws of lions to leather merchants in Ahmedabad.

Police had earlier picked up three persons, connected to the forest department who were brought to Gandhinagar for questioning by the Forensic Science Laboratory.

Further investigations are on, sources added.

UNI