Leopard skin smuggling, 3 smugglers arrested

Gariaband : Anti-poaching team of Udanti Sitanadi Sanctuary arrested three accused from Odisha who were roaming around to sell leopard skin. Let us tell you that on November 27, the anti-poaching team of Udanti Sitanadi Sanctuary had received information that some suspects were looking for customers to sell leopard skin in Birighat area. On this information, the team detained three accused along with the leopard skin. The sanctuary administration issued a press note today and said that the accused Kartik Gode, 45 years, his son Gorango Gode, 23 years, and Upendra Rawat, 25 years, were detained along with the skin. All three accused are residents of Chakamal village of Chandahandi police station area, Odisha.
Assistant Director of Udanti Sanctuary, Gopal Kashyap, who was leading the team under the guidance of Deputy Director Varun Jain, said that during interrogation of the accused, it was found that the leopard was killed by poisoning. There is another accused in the poaching case, whose identity is being investigated. Kashyap said that further investigation is going on to trace these professional smugglers. Expecting great success ahead. Action was taken against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act and they were presented in Devbhog Court on 28th, from where all three were sent to jail in judicial custody. Sushil Sagar Ranger Indagaon, Chandrabali Dhruv Subnodal Officer, Rakesh Markadey, Churaman Dhrit Lahare, Omprakash Rao, Faleshwar Dewan, Rishi Dhruv and other forest employees had special contribution in this campaign.