Nayagarh: The Crime Branch Special Task Force (STF) seized a leopard skin and two elephant tusks in Nayagarh district on Saturday and arrested two persons.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF team raided Gania-Chamundia road near Maa Kalapata temple on the banks of river Mahanadi and apprehended two persons. The arrested are, Ramesh Pratihari of Chakragada village under Narsinghpur police limits in Cuttack district and Bimbadhar Tarei of Bethia Sahi village under Gania police limits in Nayagarh district.
The STF team said the seized leopard skin and elephant tusks will be sent to Wildlife Institute of India in Deharadun for chemical examination.
It may be mentioned that in its special drive against wildlife criminals/poachers last year, the STF seized as many as 13 leopard skin, 9 elephant tusks, 2 deer skin, 3 live pangolin and 5 kg of pangolin scales besides arresting 27 poachers and registering 15 cases.
