Self-styled Godman arrested for selling tiger skin in Maharashtra

Latur (Maharashtra), July 22 (ANI): A tiger skin and elephant's tusks have been seized from a self-proclaimed godman by the district police of Latur in Maharashtra following a report that he had sold them to a local resident.

Police have arrested Monu Singh, the god man, and registered a case against him under the Wildlife Protection Act.

He fell into a trap laid out for him by the police.

"We received information that a holy man was selling a tiger skin and elephant's tusks to these persons. So we laid a trap, and we seized a tiger skin and elephant's teeth from him. Then we contacted the forest department and the officials said that it was indeed a tiger skin," said Sudhakar Bavkar, a police officer.

The complainant, who had bought the tiger skin from the godman, said that he felt suspicious about the transaction and later informed the police officials.

"I bought the tiger-skin from a self-proclaimed god-man. But I developed suspicion about the transaction. So I went to the police and the Superintendent said that he would find that man. The god-man had also told me that if I wanted a gun he would sell that as well," said Ashish Kokate, the complainant.

The accused godman said that he had bought it from someone and sold it to someone else.

"Even I got from somewhere and sold it off. I got it from a man. It was for 16,000 rupees and I sold it for 21,000 rupees," said Monu Singh Tak, the accused.

Conservationists say that despite the ban on the use of tiger parts in medicines, the trade in animal skin and bones is booming in countries of the far East such as China where everything from fur to whiskers to eyeballs to bones, are in great demand. (ANI)