Boudh: The special task force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch Wednesday seized a leopard hide following a raid on a house in Manamunda area of Boudh district. The STF officials have arrested a poacher in this connection, a source informed.
Acting on information from a reliable source that the accused man had been negotiating with a party to sell the seized hide, the STF team conducted a raid against the wildlife poacher near Kapasira village under Manamunda police limits in the district.
The arrested poacher was identified as Hara Rana from Ghuchingi village under Kantamal police limits of the district.
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Following a thorough search, a country made single-barrel muzzle loading (SBML) gun, 12 rounds of live bullets, 25 small empty cases, two plastic containers filled with black gun powder and several other incriminating instruments were seized from his possession.
As Rana could not produce any valid document in support of him possessing the leopard hide, firearm and ammunitions, the accused was arrested. The STF team has registered a case in this connection under various sections of IPC and Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The seized leopard hide will be sent to Wild Life Institute of India in Deharadun for chemical examination. Police have launched a probe which is underway, an official of Manamunda police station said.
Notably, during a special drive carried out in the last one year against wildlife criminals, the STF has seized as many as 15 leopard hides, nine elephant tusks, two deer skins, three live pangolins and over 10 kilogram of pangolin scales and have arrested 28 persons.
PNN
