Mastermind Behind Similipal Black Tiger Poaching Arrested in Gujarat

Baripada: In a significant breakthrough, Odisha Police have arrested Rabindra Naik, the alleged mastermind in the black tiger poaching case in Similipal Tiger Reserve. Naik, a resident of Mayurbhanj district, was apprehended from Gujarat on May 4, 2025, after being on the run since the incident was first reported.

The arrest was carried out with assistance from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Central Region, Bhopal, and the State Intelligence Network. Naik was brought to Baripada and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate on May 5. His bail plea was rejected, and he was remanded to judicial custody.

During the investigation, police recovered the firearm allegedly used in the killing of the rare black tiger, along with four tiger claws from Naik’s possession.

With this development, a total of 11 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, while four others remain absconding. Non-bailable warrants have been issued for their arrest, and efforts are underway to apprehend them, police officials confirmed.

The poaching of a melanistic tiger—an extremely rare variant of the Royal Bengal Tiger unique to Similipal—sparked outrage among wildlife conservationists and the public, prompting intensified enforcement action.