Forest team nabs man with 14 lions nails taken out from a dead big cat in Gujarat

Amreli: The forest team has arrested a 45 year old man with 14 lion nails which were taken out from the body of a big cat which was found dead in Kothariya range of East-Gir forests in Amreli district, Chief Conservator or Forest (CCF), Jungadh D T Vasavada today said.

He said that 14 nails of the 5 to 9 year old male found dead in Nanddivela taleti in Kothariya 2 bat in Tulsishyam range of the forests on February 15 this year were missing. A special team was formed of selected beat guards and foresters from Tulsishyam range to investigate this matter. The team was active in near by revenue villages and settlement villages.

‘On the basis of information received, the team has set a watch on a person and captured him from his farmland near Sonariya village. He has been identified as one Vashram Shardul Dhapa residnet of Pachpachiya village under Khambha taluka in Amreli district and is a farmer. The team has recovered 14 nails from the area near to its farmland. Further interrogation and investigation are in progress,’ he said.

To a query regarding the possibility of Dhapa killing the beast for taking out the nails, Vasavada said that so far it could not be established. Still the detailed investigation was on.