Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch seized one leopard skin from the possession of a wildlife criminal in Saintala area of Bolangir district on Thursday.
On the basis of reliable information, a team of STF conducted a raid with the help of Bolangir Forest Officials Thursday evening on the road between Tikrapada-Saintala under Saintala police limits regarding dealing/ possession of wildlife products by wildlife criminals.
As a result, one wildlife criminal namely Adikand Gheewala of Dukel Charchara, Tikrapada, Jorabandh under Saintala Police Station was apprehended.
During the search, one leopard skin and other incriminating materials were recovered from his possession. The accused person could not produce any authority in support of the possession of such leopard skin, for which he was detained and handed over to Bolangir Forest Officials under Bolangir Forest Division for necessary legal action on their end.
Since 2020, STF has seized as many as 28 leopard skins, 24 elephant tusks, seven deer skins, 13 live pangolins, 30 kg 400 gm of pangolin scales, two leopard teeth, 29 leopard claws, 46 live wild parrots with the arrest of 68 wildlife criminals.
