Dharmagarh (Kalahandi): In a joint anti-poaching operation by officials of Kalahandi South Forest Division and Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) of Chhattisgarh seized a leopard skin, a python skin and arrested six persons in this connection.
A country-made gun, and wire snares used for trapping animals have been also seized from the accused persons.
“We received information that one illegal trading of leopard skin is going to happen in the border area between Chhattisgarh and Kalahandi South Forest Division. So two anti-poaching teams were formed. While one team was headed by USTR Deputy Director Varun Kumar Jain, the other team was headed by DFO Kalahandi South. We conducted a joint anti-poaching operation in Ampani ghat area leading to the seizure of one leopard and arrest of five accused on Monday,” informed Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kalahandi South Forest Division, Kalaivanan R briefing reporters.
Kalaivanan said that based on the information gathered from the five accused another joint operation was conducted in the Jaipatna area on Tuesday.
“During this joint operation, we caught one accused who killed the leopard from the Jaipatna area. From this person we seized one python skin, wire snares, and one country-made gun,” the DFO Kalaivanan said.
Kalaivanan further informed that a total of six accused persons have been arrested in the joint operation.
The poaching incident (the killing of the leopard) happened in Jaipatna area, he added.
