Bhopal May 26, 2026
The arrest of a notorious poacher from Madhya Pradesh has once again exposed the dark underbelly of India’s illegal wildlife trade. After remaining absconding for nearly one year and three months, accused poacher Poonamlal Pardhi was finally arrested by the State Tiger Strike Force from Anuppur district. Investigators now suspect the case could be linked to a larger organised network involved in tiger poaching and wildlife trafficking across forest regions. Officials said he was part of an organised interstate network involved in poaching tigers in Madhya Pradesh and illegally trafficking skins and bones to Assam, Mizoram and further through Myanmar routes to foreign markets. According to the forest department, the case is already under investigation in a registered wildlife crime matter.

So far, five accused have been arrested from Haryana, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Poonamlal was allegedly changing locations continuously to evade arrest. Acting on intelligence inputs, special teams were deployed in Anuppur and nearby areas before finally arresting him near NH-43 on Kotma Road on May 23. He was later produced before a special court in Jabalpur and taken on seven-day forest remand for questioning. Investigators say Poonamlal belongs to a notorious poaching family. He is reportedly the brother of alleged tiger poacher Ajit Pardhi and uncle of other accused linked to wildlife trafficking cases. Officials believe the investigation could expose a much wider organised network operating across states and international smuggling routes.