Bhubaneswar: A leopard skin was seized and a suspected hunter was arrested in a surprise raid conducted by the forest wing of Odisha Vigilance at the Madhapur Forest Range under the Boudh Forest Division on Monday.
Acting on reliable information, the vigilance forest team carried out the operation on Monday, leading to the detection of a wildlife offence. The accused, identified as Jaya Nayak, was apprehended on the spot in possession of the leopard skin.
Officials said the accused has been booked for violation of Section 9 and punishable under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The seizure points to a serious case of wildlife poaching and illegal trade of protected species.
Further investigation is underway to trace the origin of the leopard skin and to ascertain whether the accused is linked to a larger poaching or trafficking network. Authorities indicated that more leads are being examined as part of the ongoing probe.
