Berhampur: Seven persons, including a retired police officer, were arrested for illegally possessing and using a leopard skin during rituals in Bhanjanagar area of Odisha’s Ganjam district.
Acting on a tip-off, a special team of forest department officials carried out raids at multiple locations and seized a leopard skin along with weapons like a knife, a sickle, and various puja materials.
Three persons were caught red-handed while performing rituals with the leopard skin at Gunduribadi village under Jagannath Prasad range. Four others, including three from Gajapati district, were arrested later.
Describing the seizure as a major success against illegal wildlife trade, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Himanshu Shekhar Mohanty said that one of the arrested accused is a retired police officer.
Further investigation is in progress to ascertain if the accused persons are part of a larger wildlife trafficking network.