A proposal has been submitted to the Maharashtra forest department seeking the creation of a dedicated wildlife crime control division to tackle illegal hunting, trafficking, and organised wildlife crime in the state. The proposal, put forward by wildlife conservationist Rohan Bhate, is backed by several conservation groups across Maharashtra.

Expert perspective

Speaking to mid-day, Bhate said, “Wildlife crime in India has increasingly become organised and sophisticated, involving illegal hunting, trafficking of wildlife derivatives, and networks operating across state and international borders. Tackling such crimes requires specialised intelligence gathering, coordinated enforcement mechanisms, and digital tools to track offenders and offences”.