Nayagarh: Incidents of leopard skin smuggling in Nayagarh district has been in the news for some time now. The matter came to the fore again Tuesday when the Ranpur forest division ranger arrested a 50-year Kerala returnee from the Baunsagada quarantine centre. The accused is a resident of Jamuganda village under Chandpur police station in the district.
Sources said police had earlier arrested the mastermind behind leopard skin smuggling Laxmidhar Nayak, (36) from Jamugand village under Ranpur forest division. Two leopard skins and bones of animals were found in his possession. The ranger of the Ranpur division said that they arrested the Kerala returnee as he is allegedly involved with Nayak.
Before the arrest of the mastermind, the STF had also nabbed two other persons for smuggling skins of leopard and deer.
The accused have been identified as Pratap Kumar Nayak, from Sakin village under Dasapalla police limits and Kishore Chandra Dehury from Dedhasura village under Daspalla police limits in Nayagarh district. During interrogation they revealed the whereabouts of Laxmidhar and his involvement in the case. Later on Laxmidhar disclosed the association of the man who was in quarantine.
Locals alleged that the gang operates in Kerala and some other states in South India. They also stated that a large number of others involved in smuggling of animal skins are roaming freely in the district.
PNN
