Pangolin scales seized in Mizoram

Police seized pangolin scales and arrested a person in Kolasib district of Mizoram.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/3932740_Pangolin-scales-seized-in-Mizoram--one-held

42 tonnes of red sanders seized in Maharashtra

A joint team of police and forest department seized red sanders weighing 42,480 kg in outskirts of Mumbai on 27 August 2013.
http://www.asianage.com/mumbai/illegal-red-sanders-seized-again-681

Leopard killed in road accident on NH-76

One leopard was killed in road accident on National Highway 76 in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan on the night of 25 August 2013.
http://madadgar.in/?p=25479

122 Indian soft-shelled turtles seized in Odisha

Officials of Railway Protection Force and forest department seized 122 Indian soft-shelled turtles in Bhubaneswar on 27 August 2013.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/81-turtles-seized-from-train-2-held/articleshow/22110983.cms 

Leopard skin seized in Ganjam district, Odisha

Forest officials arrested a person with a leopard skin in Ganjam district of Odisha on 25 August 2013.
http://odishatoday.com/viewnews.php?news_id=5293

Tokay gecko seized in Sonitpur district, Assam

Assam police seized a tokay gecko and arrested two persons in Sonitpur district of Assam on 24 August 2013.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130825/jsp/northeast/story_17268975.jsp#.UhsZ-9I3CIA

Leopard killed in road accident on NH-74

One leopard was killed in road accident on 24 August 2013 near Chidiyapur, Haridwar on national highway 74.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/dehradun/leopard-killed-in-mishap-on-nh-74.html

Poachers arrested with tiger traps convicted in Karnataka

Professional tiger poachers from Haryana whom were arrested with leg-hold steel traps in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) tiger reserve, Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka on July 2012 were convicted by court and sentenced them to three years imprisonment.

Police shot dead a bison in Kerala

An Indian bison that strayed into Karulayi in Nilambur and attacked several people was shot dead by the police on 22 August 2013. (In the initial reports species was reported as wild buffalo, error is regretted.)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Beast-on-rampage-shot-dead/articleshow/21986742.cms

Gangetic dolphin meat sold openly in Dibrugarh, Assam

Recently, a fish seller was found selling dolphin meat at a roadside market of Lezai-Kalakhowa, 15 km from Dibrugarh. A local woman clicked the photograph of the person selling meat and informed wildlife activists. Following a hue and cry raised by environmental groups, police registered a case and initiated an enquiry. However, the culprits are yet to be arrested.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Gangetic-dolphin-meat-sold-openly-in-Dibrugarh/articleshow/21988854.cms

Elephant killed in train accident

Train hit a herd of elephants and killed a tusker in Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh on 22 August 2013.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/tusker-hit-by-speeding-train-dies-113082200722_1.html

Elephants killed in Poaching, Poisoning and Train Accidents in India

Following is the Annexure of the answer given by government in Lok Sabha on the question of decline in population of elephants.

http://164.100.47.132/Annexture/lsq15/14/au1883.htm

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1883 REGARDING ‘DECLINE IN POPULATION OF ASIAN ELEPHANTS’ FOR REPLY ON 19.08.2013.

Details of elephant mortality for the last three years and current year, as reported by States

Species	2010-11			2011-12			2012-13		2013-14
Elephant	Poaching	Poisoning	Train accidents	Poaching	Poisoning	Train accidents	Poaching	Train accidents	Train accidents
TOTAL	26	0	19	13	1	13	0	16	3

One more leopard shot dead in Mandi, Himachal

Authorized hunters of Himachal Pradesh forest department shot dead a leopard in Mandi district on 21 August 2013.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130822/news-current-affairs/article/hyderabad-hunter-kills-another-leopard

Accused held with mongoose hair brushes convicted

Two accused held with 23 pieces of mongoose hair brushes in Delhi on July 2008 were found guilty by trial court and are convicted for the offences u/s 44, 49 & 49(B)(1) of Wild Life (Protection) Act.

IFS officers suspended in Odisha

Odisha government suspended four more forest officials, including two Indian Forest Service officials, for their alleged role in Ulliburu mining scam in Keojnhar district. Till now 12 officials, eight of forest department and four of mining, have been suspended in connection with their alleged complicity in the scam.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Four-more-forest-officers-suspended/articleshow/21946505.cms

Elephant poached in Odisha

Poachers were killed an elephant and an attempt has made to take away its tusks in Ganjam district of Odisha on 20 August 2013.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/elephant-killed-in-odisha-tusks-recovered-113082000854_1.html

Leopard skin and bear gall bladder seized in Uttarakhand

Police arrested two persons and seized a skin each of leopard, goral and gall bladder of bear in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand on 20 August 2013.

Poachers killed two rhinos in Kaziranga

Using sophisticated weapons poachers killed two rhinos in Kaziranga and removed its horn on 21 August 2013.
http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/2013/newsDetails210813d.php

Wildlife criminals convicted in Manas, Assam

Chief Judicial Magistrate of Barpeta had found guilty on eleven persons and sentenced them to 3 years rigorous imprisonment and Rs. 10,000 fine each u/s 51 (1) and similar sentence u/s 51 (1-A) of the Wildlife Protection Act, both sentences shall run concurrently. The case was registered by Manas tiger reserve officials in March 2009 in connection with the seizure of 4 kg of tiger bone, 3 leopard skins, 1 elephant tusk, 1 piece of rhino skin and body parts pangolin, sloth bear, otter, sambar, hog deer. Court found that these accused persons who are either hunters or traders of animals and animals articles, have in their greed plundered forests and killed millions of innocent animals causing many animals to extinct and threatening many others. Living creatures being dependent on each other and the survival of the human race also being dependent on them has caused great concern in our society to these rampant killings. As such, the perpetrators of such crime should not be dealt leniently.

Indian soft-shelled turtles seized in Odisha

Forest officials seized 14 Indian soft-shelled turtles in Kendrapara district of Odisha on 17 August 2013.
http://newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/Soft-shell-turtles-seized/2013/08/19/article1741747.ece#

30 tonnes of red sanders seized in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu police seized 30 tonnes of red sanders after raiding a godown located on Pollachi- Kovai main road in Coimbatore district on 18 August 2013 night.
http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Kerala-bound-red-sanders-logs-seized/2013/08/20/article1742707.ece#

15 tonnes of red sanders seized in Maharashtra

Customs officials seized 15 tonnes of red sanders on the Pune-Mumbai highway following the arrest of eight drivers on August 16 and 17.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Red-sanders-worth-3-crore-seized-8-held/articleshow/21927910.cms

Sansar Chand's co-accused convicted in huge seizure of wildlife articles

Two co-accused of Sansar Chand were found guilty by trial court and convicted in a case registered on 1992 in Delhi. The case involves the seizure of 3 tiger skins, 29 leopard skins, 2 clouded leopard skins, 5 crocodile skins and other wildlife articles. Sansar Chand had already discharged from this case in 2008 and remaining two accused were now convicted. Court found that the recovered skins were derived from wild life animals which are specified respective Schedules of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and thus accused have contravened the provisions of section 49 & 49(B)(1) of the Act, punishable u/s 51 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Accordingly, both accused are held guilty and are convicted for the offence u/s 49 & 49(B)(1) of Wild Life (Protection) Act.

Villagers killed leopards in Himachal and West Bengal

Local people were killed a leopard in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh on 16 August and in another incident  a leopard was beaten to death in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on 17 August 2013.

Spotted deer meat seized in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh police arrested five people with spotted deer meat and gun in Chandauli district on 18 August 2013.
http://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/chandauli-10655260.html

Hunters shot dead wrong leopard in Himachal

Last week hunters authorized by Himachal Pradesh forest department shot dead a leopard calling it as man-eater, now evidence being cited by wildlife experts and the postmortem report showing that an innocent leopard had been shot on August 11.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/HP-forest-minister-asks-nawab-to-leave-man-eater-hunt/articleshow/21871396.cms

Leopard skins seized in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Two leopard skins seized in separate incidents on 14 August 2013, Uttar Pradesh police seized a skin in Bagpat district and forest officials of Uttarakhand seized a skin in Pithoragarh district.

Tokay Gecko seized in Assam

Assam police seized a Tokay gecko and arrested six persons including former chief of a now disbanded militant organisation on 14 August 2013.
http://www.aninews.in/newsdetail2/story125885/assam-police-arrest-five-for-smuggling-of-rare-lizard.html

Turtle poachers convicted in Haridwar

Two poachers whom were caught with Indian Tent Turtles in Haridwar on April 2010 were found guilty by court and sentenced them to three years imprisonment and Rs. 10,000 fine each.

14 tonnes of red sanders seized in Maharashtra

Maharashtra police seized 14 tonnes of red sanders and arrested two persons in Navi Mumbai on 12 August 2013.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/14-tonnes-of-red-sandalwood-seized-113081300910_1.html

25 kg pangolin scales seized in Karnataka

Karnataka police arrested a person and seized 25 kg of pangolin scales in Davangere district on 12 August 2013.
http://news.chennaionline.com/newsitem.aspx?NEWSID=eda5b60c-f534-43b8-8c1b-c1086b6594e4&CATEGORYNAME=South

Tiger poachers arrested in Maharashtra

A team of Melghat forest officials arrested nine tiger poachers from Pune on 11 August 2013, some of them are wanted in connection with killing of a tiger in May this year.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Notorious-tiger-poachers-among-9-arrested-in-Pune/articleshow/21789162.cms

Amendments to Wildlife Protection Act tabled in Parliament

The environment and forests ministry introduced The Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill, 2013 in the Rajya Sabha that seek heavier penalties to check wildlife-related crimes and aim to make Indian laws consistent with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/amendments-to-wildlife-act-tabled/1151686/

Poachers killed a bison in Goa

Carcass of a bison was found without head and hooves in Mopa, Goa on 5 August 2013.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Bison-found-dead-at-Mopa-airport-site/articleshow/21637908.cms

Five leopard skins and bones seized in Uttarakhand

A member of an organised poaching group was arrested by forest officials with five leopard skins and bones in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand on 4 August 2013.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/smuggler-caught-with-5-leopard-skins-arrested-under-wildlife-protection-act/412040-3-243.html

Owls seized in Pithoragarh

Forest officials seized two owls from two persons in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand on 2 August 2013 night.

Tokay Gecko and sloth bear will include in Schedule-I of WPA

The last meeting of Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife agreed to support the listing of the three species, viz., Tokay Gecko, Hog Deer and Sloth Bear, to Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act as recommended by the Animal Committee.

Elephant killed in train accident in Jharkhand

A Delhi-bound Duronto Express mowed down an adult female elephant between Gomoh and Matari stations, 35km from Dhanbad district headquarters on 31 July 2013 night.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130802/jsp/frontpage/story_17185547.jsp#.Ufs-fNI3CIA

Neck feathers of grey junglefowl seized

50 neck feathers of grey junglefowl were seized in Kolkata on 1 August 2013.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Repeat-offender-held-for-trade-in-protected-species/articleshow/21540678.cms

Pangolin scales seized in Manipur

Assam Rifles arrested two persons with 2.05 kg of pangolin scales in Manipur on 30 July 2013.
http://www.ifp.co.in/nws-15971-ar-recovers-banned-wild-life-product/

Pangolin scales seized in Siliguri, West Bengal

West Bengal forest officials seized nearly 70 kg of pangolin scales brought from Kalka, Haryana in Siliguri, Darjeeling district on 31 July 2013. 7 people were arrested including a member of organised poaching group based in Haryana.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/pangolin-scales-seized/article4975979.ece

Arrest of Wildlife Criminals

Recently in a Writ Petition filed by accused for quashing an FIR and staying the arrest of the petitioners for a case registered under Wildlife Protection Act, Allahabad High Court pointed out that:

By the amendment vide Act No. 5 of 2009, which has been notified on 01.11.2010, it has been provided in Section 41(1) (b) Cr.P.C. that a person against whom credible information of being involved in a cognizable offence punishable with imprisonment of 7 years or less is reported to the police officer, the accused can only be arrested if the police officer is satisfied that:

(a) there is probability of the accused committing another offence,

(b) for proper investigation of the offence,

(c) to prevent such person from causing the evidence of the offence to disappear or his tampering with the evidence in any manner,

(d) to prevent such person from making any inducement, threat or promise to the witnesses to disclose such facts to the court or to the police,

(e) unless the person is arrested, his presence in court could not be ensured and the police officer has to record the reasons in writing before making such arrest.

Also under the newly introduced provision, section 41 A Cr.P.C. (which has also been added by Act No. 5 of 2009, effective from 1.11.2010), in all cases where the arrest of such an accused is not needed in view of the provisions of section 41 (1) Cr.P.C., the police officer concerned is required to issue a notice directing the accused to appear before him at a specified place and time.

In case the police officer arrests the accused the Magistrate before whom the accused is produced for an order of remand, shall examine the reasons mentioned in the case diary for arresting the accused for satisfying himself that the arrest has been made in accordance with the exceptional circumstances indicated in sections 41(1) (b) and 41 A Cr.P.C described. In case the Magistrate is of the opinion that the arrest has not been made in a bona fide manner, or the grounds for arrest mentioned do not conform with the criteria set out in sections 41(1)(b) or 41 A, or there is no material to substantiate the reasons for arrest, the Magistrate may refuse to remand the accused to custody and may release the accused on personal bond with or without sureties after taking an undertaking from the accused to appear before the investigating officer or the Court when required.