Tantric rituals lead to wildlife crime arrest, 1 held
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The seized items include the skin of a blackbuck and two lion claws.
The arrest followed a raid conducted by the forest department based on specific intelligence inputs about the use of endangered species in occult practices. Range forest officer Pratap Chandu, who is leading the investigation, confirmed that the recovered items were found at the residence of the accused, Valji Matang.
"We have sent the blackbuck skin and lion claws to a forensic laboratory for examination," Chandu said.
"The accused claimed that these items were over two decades old and were brought into the household by his grandfather for religious purposes."
However, officials clarified that the Wildlife Protection Act strictly prohibits the possession, trade, or use of any body parts of protected animals, regardless of their age or intended use.
Matang was booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and produced before a local court on Friday.
The court granted forest officials three days of custodial interrogation to further probe the origin and possible trade links of the seized items.
Amreli district, which is home to 339 of Gujarat's 891 Asiatic lions as per the latest census, is considered a high-sensitivity zone for wildlife conservation. The forest department has been keeping a close watch on illegal activities involving protected species in the region.
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