Nabarangpur: Scripting a major success, forest officials Tuesday busted a leopard hide smuggling racket and arrested five persons in this connection while three others managed to flee. Six leopard hides, seven teeth, a bear’s paw, 10 bear nails and two bear teeth were seized from their possession.
The approximate cost of each hide would be Rs 5 lakh in the international market, Nabarangpur divisional forest officer (DFO) Swayam Mallick told at a press conference held at the special nursery here.
The leopards are said to have been killed about two years ago. Seizure of six hides and arrest of five persons over the incident is a first of its kind in the state, a report said.
The arrested persons were identified as Kuna Nayak of Kashabara, Niranjan Nayak and Ranjan Sahoo of Badachhatar, Bhuban Nayak of Birmalguda under T Rampur block in Kalahandi district and Sena Bisoi of Girlligumma under Dasamantapur block in Koraput district. Manas Nayak of T Rampur, Pitabas Harijan of Aunligumma under Khatiguda police limits and Prema Takri of Lakiguda under Tentulikhunti block in this district are on the run.
The smugglers were arrested while striking a deal to sell the hides, the DFO said, adding the five accused were produced in a court. The accused would be brought in remand to elicit further information from them about their modus operandi, officials said.
Acting on the DFO’s direction, an eight-member team under the leadership of ranger Dhanurjaya Mohapatra was formed nine months ago. Since then, the squad had been on a mission to bust the racket.
It was learnt that the hide traders camped at Bena Khamar located close to Mahulpatna in Kalahandi district.
Some of the squad members, acting as decoy hide buyers, lured the traders with Rs 50, 000 for each hide and struck the deal Monday. According to the plan, the officials arrested the accused one by one.
Other officials who took part in the operation were foresters P Bisoi, Sunil Behera, Ritesh Suna, RK Sahoo, Subrat Babali, Ramakanta Sahoo and Rajesh Nayak.
ACF Anand Bihari Patel and forest guards were present at the press meet. PNN
