Leopard Skin Seized, Two Arrested In Odisha’s Kandhamal

Phulbani: Forest officials have seized a leopard skin and arrested two persons for attempting to sell it in Odisha’s Kandhamal district.

According to sources, some villagers had set a trap to capture boar in Badris forest one month back. But a leopard got trapped and the villagers shot it dead. Later, they skinned the leopard and preserve it for sale.

The Forest officials received the information that somebody was going to sell the leopard skin on Friday. They started patrolling in Kalinga forest section.

During the patrolling, the officials found a youth, identified as Bhabani Shankar Pradhan of Malansuga village, standing on roadside with a bag.

Suspecting his behaviour, the officials searched his bag and found the leopard hide inside. They took him into custody and questioned him.

During questioning, Bhabani revealed the details of the hunting of leopard and plan to sell its skin. He also divulged the name of another person involved in the incident.

The Forest officials conducted a raid on the house of the second person, identified as Pramod Pradhan in Gambhiraguda. They seized the gun used in killing the leopard and live cartridges from the house and arrested him.