Three arrested with leopard hide

BARIPADA: Forest officials on Monday seized a leopard hide and caught three persons including a poacher red-handed while they were trying to sell it at Balikhoni village under Bangiriposi range here.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, deputy director of Similipal Tiger Reserve (South) Samrat Gowda said basing on intelligence input that attempts were being made to sell a leopard hide in the area, a team of forest officials raided the spot and arrested the accused.

“The poacher and two traders were planning to sell the leopard hide when we nabbed them. Another person involved in the case, however, fled the spot,” Gowda said.