Wildlife contrabands, leopard hides recovered in Mandi

The Shimla police have recovered three leopard hides and arrested one person in Mandi town

The Shimla police have recovered three leopard hides and arrested one person in Mandi town.

Besides skins, police have also seized wildlife contrabands including 14 leopard claws and 12 leopard teeth. (HT File)

Police have registered a case under smuggling and the Wildlife Act. Besides skins, police have also seized wildlife contrabands including 14 leopard claws and 12 leopard teeth.

Police had raided a hotel following a tip-off from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Police arrested a local who was produced in the court and remanded to police custody, said Mandi superintendent of police Shalini Agnihotri.

Police have registered a case and further investigation has been initiated. During the preliminary investigation, the person told police that he used poison-laced meatloaves to kill the leopards. There is a rise in the incidence of poaching and smuggling in Himachal Pradesh during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the last two months, police have recovered six leopard skins, Himalayan Monal bird plumes, and Pangolin scales in Shimla, Solan, Chamba and Hamirpur districts, revealing this disturbing trend.