Madhya Pradesh: Investigators say NGO helped poach leopards to raise funds
An employee of the conservation non-profit organisation (NGO) Wildlife SOS allegedly joined poaching networks under a false name and helped them poach at least 10 leopards, purportedly to raise funds by pretending to have infiltrated them to work as an informer, investigators said. The investigators said the arrested poachers in the case confessed to poaching 10 leopards. (File Photo/Representative) The probe into the seizure of 10 leopard skins in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra on July 23, the arrest of 11 smugglers from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and the recovery of body parts, skeletons, and leg-hold traps led investigators to the alleged NGO link. The investigators said the arrested poachers in the case confessed to poaching 10 leopards from Kuno wildlife, Sheopur forest divisions, and National Chambal Sanctuary, after being lured into doing so. They alleged the NGO hired Bhagwan Singh, who was terminated from the Delhi Police, to get in touch with metal trap providers in Haryana and tribals in Sheopur for the poaching under the false name of Salim. An investigator, requesting anonymity, said …
