May 23, 2012: The Maharashtra government has come down heavily on poachers. State Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam has issued 'shoot-at-sight' orders to the forest guards if they saw any poacher hunting or laying traps in tiger reserves.

The orders have been in place for the past 10 years but the field staff have been reluctant to implement them as some forest guards were being booked for violating human rights despite the government resolution.

The government's order comes four days after the body of a tiger was found chopped into 11 pieces with its head and paws missing in the Tadoba tiger reserve. Read full report here.