Mandla:
A US woman tourist was arrested for allegedly trespassing in the prohibited area of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, official sources said today.
The California-based woman, identified as Eve Lynn, 50, checked into a hotel near the Kanha Tiger Reserve on the evening of March 15.
The next day in wee hours she strolled into the reserve's prohibited area in Kisli Range without permission.
She was spotted in the prohibited area by a forest guard who later informed his superiors about the woman's suspected activity, Kanha Tiger Reserve's Field Director J S Chouhan told reporters.
The forest officials then questioned the woman and on not getting any satisfactory reply from her, they arrested her under Section 27(35) of the Wildlife Protection Act and produced her in a court yesterday.
The court later released her on a personal bond with a direction that she would not leave the place and appear in the court again the next day.
The American tourist later appeared in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sheikh Saleem, who ordered her release after imposing a fine of Rs 5,000.
After completing formalities, the authorities set the woman free, officials said.