Cuttack: A Joint Task Force (JFT), comprising Odisha State Wildlife Wing, Wild Life Control Bureau (WLCB) and senior Forest Department Officials, has cracked a 4-year-old leopard poaching case with the arrest of seven persons.
A leopard skin dried and preserved for three years and claws used as an ornament were seized from them.
Acting on a tip-off from WCLB Jabalpur, the task force officials on February 5 seized a leopard skin from two wildlife smugglers in Cuttack. The two accused, one from Mahanga and another from Badagaon in Kendrapdra, fled the scene but were later arrested. Based on information received from them during interrogation, the JTF subsequently nabbed others involved in the case from Ganjam, Kendrapada and Gajapati.
Of the seven arrested, two are hunters while others are involved in wildlife trading. A manhunt has been launched to nab six others involved in the 2019 racket.
“After the arrests, there is a fear among people in the villages now. They are scared of hunting. They now know that action can be taken even after four years,” said DFO, City Division, Ajit Satpathy.
The JTF was constituted last year to nab wildlife smugglers involved in leopard, elephant and Bajrakapta poaching. The Forest Department claims that since then elephant poaching has come down from 71 to 54, a fall of 24 per cent. Those involved in the Simlipal leopard poaching have also been convicted.
“We have orders to take action against forest officials as well if they are found involved in poaching,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Lade Gajanan Dayanand.
