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Corbett Park makes all-out
efforts to nab poachers

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Jim Corbett Park authorities are making all-out efforts to nab the poachers involved in the killing of six elephants and the Uttaranchal government has given a fillip to their efforts by announcing a Rs 100,000 reward for information about the poachers.

Jim Corbett Park director Dr P C Joshi told rediff.com, "We are on an alert and are combing the forest area with Central Reserve Police Force and other para-military personnel to nab the culprits."

Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel and police have been posted at the park as part of the combing operation. Three PAC battalions are from Uttaranchal, while one is from Bijnore.

"We have identified the culprits and will arrest them soon," said Joshi. He, however, did not disclose the identity of those responsible for the poaching. Joshi said they were not yet aware of the exact number of poachers.

The park, which was closed to tourists following elephant poaching and the killing of elephants in Kalagarh, was reopened on Tuesday morning.

"A high level meeting on Monday, police and park officials decided that closing of the park would give the poachers an opportunity to shift to where there are more animals. The presence of tourists will restrict their activities," Joshi felt.

The meeting also proposed to requisition helicopters to search for the poachers.

R S Tolia, principal secretary (forests), Uttaranchal, said that only Bijrani area of the reserve had been closed to visitors.

On Friday, an elephant carcass was found at Paterpani, in the park's Kalagarh forest range. The partly-devoured carcass was without tusks.

Established in 1936, the 1,318 square km park touches the districts of Nainital, Almora, Bijnore and Pauri Garhwal.

With inputs from UNI

The Corbett National Park

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