Malkangiri: Forest officials Monday seized two Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) hides and arrested a person while he was trying to sell them.
The accused was identified as Sundar Dhamra of Sargiguda village in Vejaguda panchayat under Mathili forest range in this district.
According to forest officials, the price of the hides was estimated at `2 lakh while they were 140 cm and 125 cm in length respectively. The age of the tigers which were killed for their hides would be less than a year, divisional forest officer (DFO) Simadri Gouda said.
Acting on a tip-off and directed by the DFO, forester Samara Khara and forest guard Tapan Sa, in the guise of customers, went to Sargiguda village to buy the tiger hides. They struck a deal with Sundar to procure the hides for `70,000.
As per the deal, Sundar came to Saunliguda Monday to sell the hides. According to a blueprint prepared by the officials, a team led by ranger Bijay Nayak pounced on him and seized the hides. The arrested trader was brought to Govindpalli forest office before being produced in a court.
A leopard hide was seized last year in Kairapalli village under Mathili forest division. PNN
