Gun seized in Keri tiger case in Keri

TNN 23 July 2009, 04:09am IST

PANAJI: Forest department officials seized a gun on Monday which might have been used to kill the tiger that was found dead in Keri in late February this year.

The officials, however, were tightlipped and declined to provide details. The tiger was shot after being trapped in a seasonal stream amid two cashew plantations belonging to Ganesh and Arjun Majik.

Almost three months later, forest department officials found bones, molars, fur and some other remains of the tiger in the cashew plantation. An exposed cartridge was also found by forest department officials a few metres away from the site of the killing.

The remains of the tiger had been sent on June 3, to the Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun for confirmatory forensic tests, but no report has been received as yet. Chief conservator of forest Shashi Kumar, who could not be contacted for details about the seizure of the weapon, had stated that if need be, the department would consider sending the remains to another institution to ascertain whether they were parts of the tiger.

Sources aver that the gun may have to be sent to ballistic experts as part of the investigation. However, no more details were available about the person who had obtained a license for the fire arm, but speculation was rife that it was sought for crop protection.

Meanwhile, one Naguesh Majik, who had been taken for interrogation and later arrested by forest department officials on Friday in connection with the tiger killing case, was released on bail Tuesday.

His remand was to end on July 21. The department had been granted five days custody of the suspect to interrogate him. But sources said that he had denied all involvement in the crime.

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