Paralakhemundi: Forest department officials have seized five leopard skins, a fishing cat skin, a leopard cat skin and 26.1 kg of pangolin scales from Ramgiri forest range under Paralakhemundi Forest Division and have arrested six persons in this connection.
As many as 40 days back Forest Department officials on receiving intelligence inputs that a major trade in wildlife articles would soon occur. Accordingly, the department had formed a special team.
“Forty days ago we had intelligence input that a major trade would take place and we had planned a decoy operation. On the 6th of this month during the decoy operation, we seized five leopard skins, one fishing cat skin, one leopard cat skin and 26.1 kg of pangolin scales from the Ramgiri forest range. All are Schedule I species. We have arrested six persons in this connection,” informed S Anand, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Paralakhemundi addressing a presser here today.
Anand said that the first three persons were arrested and after their interrogation, another three were arrested.
“The arrestees mainly hail from areas under Mohana, Udaygiri, and Rayagada blocks. We have forwarded them to court. Further investigation is underway and we suspect involvement of an inter-state racket,” Anand added.
