DEHRADUN: Following the brutal poaching of two tigers in Haridwar, found poisoned with their paws severed, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is dispatching a team to investigate the systemic lapses behind the incident.
Amid mounting pressure, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has launched a crackdown and issued a show-cause notice to the area’s Ranger. Authorities are now examining possible departmental negligence as the investigation into the wildlife crime intensifies.
The shocking discovery of two poached tigers in the Sajanpur Beat of the Shyampur Range has exposed critical lapses in forest surveillance and patrol protocols. In a significant departure from past trends, where accountability rarely extended beyond beat guards, the department has issued a formal show-cause notice to the area’s Ranger.
The gravity of the incident has drawn sharp criticism from the state leadership. Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal, who personally visited the site to assess the situation, expressed deep dissatisfaction over the matter.
“This incident is extremely serious, and the government is not taking it lightly,” Minister Uniyal told the TNIE. “A show-cause notice has been issued to the concerned Ranger, and further action will follow once the investigation report is finalised. We must break the tradition of holding only lower-level employees responsible; accountability must also be fixed at the officer level.”
The Ranger in question, who has held positions across various ranges in Haridwar for an extended period, is now under intense scrutiny. Questions are being raised over why certain officials remain posted in a single district for years, fuelling concerns about administrative stagnation and the need for fresh oversight.
The arrival of the NTCA, India’s apex body for tiger conservation, is expected to add an independent layer to the investigation. A team is scheduled to visit the site in the coming days to examine evidence, autopsy reports and patrol logs. Their findings will determine whether the lapses were merely procedural or indicative of deeper systemic failures.
Haridwar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Swapnil Anirudh confirmed that the investigation net is widening.
“On Thursday, three more suspects were arrested, taking the total number of accused sent to jail to four,” Anirudh said. “We are investigating whether these local actors are linked to larger organised poaching syndicates. Meanwhile, patrols within the forest area have been significantly intensified.”
As the probe gathers pace, the outcome of the NTCA’s visit could trigger a major overhaul of Uttarakhand’s tiger protection strategy, signalling a tougher enforcement regime in the state’s wildlife sanctuaries.