In the latest interception of wildlife offence, the Special Task Force (STF) wing of Odisha police on Wednesday arrested a poacher and seized leopard skin, arm and ammunition from his possession in Manmunda police station jurisdiction of Boudh district.
The arrested person identified as Hara Rana was nabbed while he was planning to strike a deal to sell the leopard skin. Besides the leopard skin, a country made SBML gun, 12 ammunitions, besides gun powder and other incriminating materials were seized from his possession, STF officials said.
The poaching of these protected animals has shot up in Odisha with the seizure of over 25 leopard skins in the one year. Of the seizures, the STF alone has seized 15 leopard skins. The accused person could not produce any valid document for possession of animal skin. He was booked under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The seized skin will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, for a chemical examination.
Leopards have become the latest target of organised poaching rackets in the state. The hides of these protected animals are much in demand in the international market. That is the reason why over 150 leopards have been killed in Odisha during the past one decade, according to wildlife activists.