Vijay Pinjarkar,TNN | Mar 4, 2015,
 
NAGPUR: On the World Wildlife Day, Kuttu Chhiyalal Rajgond (35), a notorious poacher involved in killing of two tigers in Khumari near Mansinghdeo Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagpur division and one at Tumsar was dramatically arrested in a village of Katni district, MP, on Tuesday.

With Kuttu's arrest, the number of arrested poachers and others involved has gone up to 37. Kuttu was arrested by a joint team of CBI and wildlife crime cell (WCC), Melghat, in the wee hours. The accused, who will be in CBI custody, is being brought to Nagpur on transit remand by the team on Tuesday night. He will be produced in the court on Wednesday.

Having information that poachers gather at their native place to celebrate Holi, which falls on March 6, the joint team of forest and CBI officials with the help of Katni police and zeroed in on Biruhali, a village in Rithi tehsil in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh around 5.30am.

Sources said team had actually gone to nab Keru, brother of tiger poacher Ajit, Kuttu and Sheru, all involved in killing tigers in the region. While Keru and Sheru escaped, Kuttu was nabbed. Ajit is in Nagpur Central Jail. Keru and Sheru are still absconding. Ajit and Keru had sold two skins from Umred to Sarju.

Sources said high drama was witnessed as women pelted stones on the raiding party in which a couple of forest officials were injured. The team braved the hostile situation and fired at Keru and Sheru but they managed to escape.

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