20 poachers get three years jail for killing 6 lions

Junagadh, Oct 23 (UNI) A local court today sentenced a gang of 20 poachers of Madhya Pradesh to three year jail term for killing six lions in the world famous Gir wildlife Sanctuary in 2007.

Judge P K Makvana also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of the twenty convicted persons.

The lions were killed in two phases, in Babariya range of Gir in March 2007.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi took personal interest in the case and the investigation was assigned to CID crime. The police arrested a gang of 12 men and 9 women, all from Madhya Pradesh, in April 2007.

According to police sources, the gang had trapped the lions and killed them with sharp-edged weapons. During the hearing, one of the accused, Kerbai died.

This is the first time that as many as 20 people got punishment for poaching of lions of Gir wildlife sanctuary.

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