Rohru | In a first-of-its-kind operation in the history of wildlife enforcement in Rohru, the Forest Department on Tuesday carried out a major crackdown on suspected illegal wildlife trade, raiding jewellery shops in the town under Operation Clawback.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rohru Ravishankar said the operation was launched following credible intelligence inputs indicating that wildlife animal parts were being illegally stored and traded through jewellery shops in Rohru market.
The operation began at 10:30 am and continued till 1:30 pm, involving a large, well-coordinated team of around 45 forest officials, including 12 Deputy Rangers, 22 frontline forest staff and supporting personnel.
Given the sensitivity of the operation in a crowded market area, the team was divided into different units and conducted simultaneous raids at six locations to prevent any leakage of information.
“Based on sustained intelligence and ground-level inputs from our sources, we planned and executed Operation Clawback today. This is a targeted and intelligence-driven action against wildlife crime,” DFO Ravishankar said.
Seizure of Suspected Leopard Parts
During the raids, the Forest Department recovered a large quantity of suspected wildlife derivatives, including:
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Five suspected leopard teeth recovered from one jewellery shop
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One suspected animal claw
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Ten feathers of an unidentified bird species
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Several other suspected wildlife parts, taking the total number of seized items to around 115, including 86 suspected derivatives
The seized items are suspected to be parts of leopard and other wild animals, allegedly kept for illegal sale in the guise of jewellery or curios.
All seized material has been confiscated under relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including Sections 40(2), 44 and 49, which deal with illegal possession, trade and transport of wildlife articles.
Owners Arrested, Further Probe On
The DFO said that shop owners were primarily arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act. In one case, a manager or seller was also questioned. The arrested persons have undergone medical examination and are being produced before the magistrate, with the department seeking police remand for further investigation.
To establish the exact species, age and authenticity of the seized items, the samples will be sent for forensic examination to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and other authorized forensic laboratories.
“At this stage, we cannot rule out the possibility that some items may be fake. The forensic report will confirm whether the seized materials are genuine wildlife parts,” Ravishankar said.
Links to Wider Wildlife Crime Network Suspected
The Forest Department has not ruled out the possibility of a larger wildlife trafficking network, including local hunters or external suppliers, being involved.
“This is a very initial stage of investigation. We need detailed backward and forward link analysis to identify the source of these wildlife parts, the hunters involved, and the supply chain. It could be local or inter-state,” the DFO said.
Message to Wildlife Offenders
Calling Operation Clawback “just the beginning,” DFO Ravishankar said the action sends a strong message against illegal wildlife trade.
“This is not a one-off action. Operation Clawback is the first step. Wildlife crime networks have become more sophisticated, and we are prepared to take this forward with sustained and targeted operations,” he said.
He also lauded the coordinated efforts of the entire forest team, especially Range Officer-level staff, describing the operation as challenging due to the crowded market conditions and the need for secrecy.
The operation marks a historic moment for wildlife enforcement in Rohru, as it is the first time jewellery shops have been raided for suspected wildlife crime, signalling a tougher stance against illegal trade in animal parts in Himachal Pradesh’s apple belt.
