Leopard skins seized in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband, 2 arrested

In the last year, Gariyaband police have seized seven leopard skins, mainly from villages bordering Odisha

With the seizure of two leopard skins from Gariyaband district, police claimed to have busted a gang of leopard skin smugglers on Tuesday, which has been active in the district for the last few years.

The seized leopard skins. (HT Photo)

Police have arrested two smugglers who belong to Kalahandi district of Odisha and are investigating the case further.

In the last year, Gariyaband police have seized seven leopard skins, mainly from villages bordering Odisha, senior officials said.

“We have arrested two men, both from Kalahandi (Odisha), in connection with the smuggling of two leopard skins. Both are booked under sections of Wildlife Act and we are investigating,” said superintendent of police (SP) , Gariyaband, Bhojram Patel.

The SP further said that on Monday, police were tipped off that two persons were trying to sell leopard skins in a village.

“ A team cordoned off the area. Later, police arrested one Ramesh Nayak who had hidden two leopard skins in a plastic bag. The other man Keshav Manjhi was booked under similar sections,” said the SP, adding that they are interrogating both men.

Police said that since most ofUdanti Tiger Reserve, which borders Odisha, is Maoist area, these poachers enter easily and hunt down the animals.

Last year, police also seized a live pangolin which had been smuggled from this area.

Officials claimed that in Gariyaband , leopards been found in nearly every part of the district and police are suspicious about a big gang active in this region.