Bhanjanagar: Forest officials of the North Ghumusar division here in Ganjam district seized a leopard hide Sunday morning and arrested seven persons, including a retired assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police and a holy man.
This was stated here by Divisional Forest Officer Himanshu Shekhar Mohanty at a presser held at the Mujagada forest range office Sunday.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to nab another suspect on the run, he said.
The accused were identified as retired ASI Kali Charan Jani of Bedingi village under Ramgiri police limits in Gajapati district, Bipin Charan Pradhan of Adamangi village, also under Ramgiri police limits, Surendra Pradhan and his son Lakshman Pradhan of Gunduribadi village under Belguntha police limits in Ganjam district, Sushant Dakua of Pantikhadi village under Belguntha police limits, Kshetriya Mallik of Gochhagada village under Mohana police limits in Gajapati district, and Trinath Biswal of Soma village under Purushottampur police limits in Ganjam district.
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Offi cials also seized a leopard hide, three sharp-edged weapons, fi ve mobile phones, and worship materials used in rituals.
According to investigators, three persons from Gajapati district and one from Purushottampur in Ganjam had brought the leopard hide to Bhanjanagar Saturday and handed it over to Surendra Pradhan, a local holy man.
Believing that worshipping the hide would bring wealth, Pradhan and others performed rituals Sunday morning.
They later planned to sell the hide. Acting on a tip-off, DFO Mohanty formed five special teams, deploying personnel disguised as traders and farmers.
The teams raided Pradhan’s house around 8 am Sunday, seized the hide, and arrested them. Officials said three people were initially arrested, and based on their information, four more staying in a lodg,e Raj Palace in Bhanjanaga,r were also nabbed.
Another suspect in the case managed to escape. The raid was led by ACF Bibek Das, Bhanjanagar police inspector Jibananda Jena, ranger Prithiviraj Pradhan, Jagannathprasad ranger Sujatarani Panda, Mujagad ranger Bimbadhar Sahu, and foresters Anup Bisoyi, Jiban Tripathy and Babul Sethi.
The seized leopard hide was a month old.
Officials said the animal had died after being caught in a snare set up for wild boar poaching in the Mohana range of Gajapati district.
The accused allegedly dried the hide and kept it with them for several days before bringing it to Bhanjanagar Saturday in order to perform rituals for its sale.
The hide was handed over to Pradhan for the rituals, but the suspects were arrested before it could be sold.
Forest authorities said a high-level inquiry has been launched into the case.
PNN
