12 smugglers held with animals' skins

Bijnor (UP), Dec 17: Around 12 inter-state smugglers were arrested by a joint team of police and forest department for allegedly killing wild animals in the Amangarh

Reserve Area, police said here today.

Tiger skins, heads, bones and meat of two tigers, killed four days ago, were also seized, Superintendent of Police Bijnor Rajesh Krishan said. After two tigers were killed on December 14, a team was formed and they were asked to nab the people involved.

The alleged smugglers were caught the next day when they were planning to go to Delhi to sell the skins, bones and meat of the tigers, he said, adding that the value of seized tiger skins and bones in international market is estimated to be Rs 20 lakh.

The leader of the gang Mohd Yusuf, who was also arrested belonged to Bhaguwala village here, while other members were residents of the neighbouring areas, SP said. There are 12 tigers in Amangarh Tiger Reserver Area and 214 tigers in Corbett Tiger Reserve area, forest department officials said.

PTI