Poaching Racket Busted: Five Arrested with Royal Bengal Tiger Bones Near Kaziranga

In a major success against organized wildlife crime, the Biswanath Wildlife Division, which falls under the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve jurisdiction, has arrested five persons and recovered the bones of a Royal Bengal Tiger.

The accused were allegedly attempting to sell the illegal animal parts, and forest authorities suspect links to hardened poaching networks, including past Rhino poaching offenders.

The operation was executed on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Simaluguri Baligaon in the Gohpur area.

A joint team from the Eastern Range, Gamaria, and the Crime Investigation Range, Panibharal, of the Biswanath Wildlife Division carried out the swift raid.

The recovered Royal Bengal Tiger bones were seized from the possession of Depen Pegu, who is among the five detained individuals.

The other detained persons have been identified as:

1. Eilaram Doley

2. Ripun Pegu

3. Kerani Kaman

4. Pulish Kutum

The individuals were allegedly in the process of finalizing a deal to sell the tiger trophy on the black market. The Biswanath Wildlife Division confirmed that the suspects were in contact with known individuals previously implicated in infamous RhinoPoaching cases, a disturbing detail that points towards a nexus between different wildlife smuggling syndicates operating along the periphery of Kaziranga.

The recovery of tiger bones—a highly prized item in the international illegal wildlife trade, primarily for use in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia—underscores the relentless pressure poachers are putting on India's most endangered big cat species. The Royal Bengal Tiger is listed as an 'Endangered' species under the IUCN Red List.

Investigation Underway

Forest and police officials have launched a detailed investigation to dismantle the entire chain of the wildlife trafficking network, from the hunters to the international buyers.

"Investigation is going on. We are following all leads to identify the source of the tiger and the final destination of the contraband," an official close to the investigation stated.

The arrests come amid heightened conservation concerns in Assam, with several incidents of tiger mortality, including poaching-related cases, reported this year.

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