HT Correspondent
: In a joint operation, the forest department seized 10 leopard skins and arrested four people allegedly involved in the wildlife crime. The recovery was made on the Agra-Gwalior road on Friday. The skins were packed in polythene and kept in a bag inside a car.
According to Samyak Cane, CO of the forest department’s Kheragarh range, a car travelling on the Agra-Gwalior road was intercepted based on information received by the department. During a search, the department found 10 leopard skins inside the car.
“The leopard is a protected animal under wildlife laws, making the matter serious. During an extensive search of the car, we found 10 leopard skins wrapped in polythene and kept in a bag inside the car,” said Samyak Cane.
“Four people have been arrested and legal proceedings are being initiated under the Wildlife Protection Act. The recovered skins are being tested and further details about the network involved are being investigated,” Cane said on Friday.
Forest department officials are now investigating the accused’s links. According to divisional director for social forestry at the forest department in Agra, Rajesh Kumar, all the backward and forward linkages are being worked out after the registration of a case in the matter.
“We will seek remand of these accused to get more details of the matter now being investigated. The assistant conservator of forest at Mathura has been named the investigating officer in this matter,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}“We will seek remand of these accused to get more details of the matter now being investigated. The assistant conservator of forest at Mathura has been named the investigating officer in this matter,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}“Those arrested were coming from the state of Madhya Pradesh and officials in other states are also being contacted because we need to investigate all possible details of the matter,” he said, but declined to give more details about the recovery at this stage.
The UP forest department and police acted on intelligence provided by Wildlife SOS, leading to the arrest of four people and the seizure of 10 leopard skins.
The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides it with the highest level of legal protection in India.