Mayurbhanj: For leopard skins were seized during a joint operation led by Baripada Forest Officer (DFO) and Similipal Tiger Conservation Project South Deputy Director on Sunday. Along with the leopard hides, the team arrested three accused involved in wildlife smuggling and seized three mobile phones from their possession.
According to the information received from Baripada DFO Santosh Kumar Joshi, acting on a tip-off regarding leopard skin smuggling, he and Samrat Gowda, Deputy Director of Shimilipal Tiger Conservation Project South, jointly launched a raid in Chabhau on Sunday.
A team consisting of officers and staff of Baripada, Similipal South, Similipal North, and Rairangpur DFO was deployed in Balda village under Khunta police station in Shimilipal foothills to track the movement of the wildlife smugglers. The team nabbed the smugglers and recovered and seized the leopard skins.
Interrogation of the arrested accused is underway and a detailed report follows.
Meanwhile, district Collector Ashish Thakare has directed DEO Purna Chandra Sethi to conduct the probe and submit a report in this regard.
