THE FOREST Department staff have seized a panther hide and arrested three persons in this connection in Pachmarhi area of Satpura Tiger Reserve. The remains of the panther, including its skull, have been sent for forensic investigation. The accused allegedly used to kill animals through a wire noose.
Forest Conservator and director M S Rajput said that a carcass of panther had been found on December 31 last from Pagara beat of Pachmarhi area. It was 15 to 20 day old. An intense search by the Forest Department staff found the panther’s skin from the agriculture field of a farmer in Pagara village. Its length was 168 cm and width 40 cm.
Today, the police arrested Sanjay, Kishan and Rakesh and recovered the GI wire noose, an axe, knife, sickle and the panther’s skill from their homes. Rajput said that remains of the panther are being sent to the Wildlife Protection Forensic Science Lab (Sagar) and Wildlife Institute (Dehradun).
The accused have been booked the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and they would be produced in court tomorrow.