India: A team of social forestry department on Sunday arrested a poacher from Tanda Bijesi village under Neuria police station after a video showing him killing a baby crocodile was widely circulated. This reptile is listed as protected in schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act and its poaching invites stringent penalties.

According to divisional director of social forestry Sanjeev Kumar, the poacher was identified as Fakir Chand Mandal. The video shows him holding a sharp-edged weapon while his accomplice is tearing apart the jaws of the crocodile. The second poacher is also seen striking the crocodile against the earth and splintering his jaws. He is helped by Fakir Chand’s nephew, Prashant Mandal, a resident of Sitarganj in neighbouring Uttarkhand. He is currently working in Gujarat. A team has been sent to nab him.

The baby crocodile is about a year old and was trapped two months ago from a pond near Fakir Chand’s house. It was probably killed then, forest officials said. During interrogation, Fakir Chand confessed to consuming its meat and selling off its teeth, said Kumar.

(Source: The Times of India)