Bhubaneswar: Acting on specific intelligence, the Forest Wing of Odisha Vigilance conducted a surprise raid in Boudh district on Thursday and seized a leopard skin, arresting two persons for alleged violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The raid was carried out at Karanjkata village under Puruna-Katak police station limits, where officials detected a wildlife offence involving illegal possession of protected animal parts, sources said.
The accused were identified as Abhay Nayak of Karanjkata village and Nilakantha Kanhar of Laxmanpur village under Harabhanga police station in Boudh district. Both were apprehended on the spot.
Officials said the accused were booked for violation of provisions under Section 9 of the Act, which prohibits hunting of wild animals, and are punishable under Section 51 of the law.
In this connection, a case has been registered at Puruna-Kataka Forest Range under Sections 50(8)(b) and 51, for alleged violations of Sections 9, 39, 44, and 48 of the Act.
Further investigation into the case is underway to ascertain the source of the leopard skin and any possible links to a larger wildlife trafficking network, officials added.
