Baripada/Khunta: A raid by Khunta police to curb the illicit sale of liquor during the Makar festival turned out to be a fluke as they seized a leopard hide from the house of a hooch trader at Bholagadia village under the police limits in Mayurbhanj district, Wednesday.
Police seized the leopard hide and arrested three persons in this connection. The accused persons were identified as Chhitaranjan Sahu, 25, his brother Trilochan Sahu, 30 of Bholagadia village, and Gendru Ho, 38, of Baniabasa village in Dengama panchayat under Khunta policy limits. The dead leopard is believed to be within seven to eight years of age and the hide measuring 160 cm in both length and width.
Preliminary inquiry indicated that the animal might have been poached a few days back from the core area of Similipal wildlife sanctuary under Jenabil forest range and South Baripada division. The seizure of the leopard hide has sparked concern over the safety of wild animals in Similipal wildlife sanctuary among animal lovers and environmentalists and caught the Forest officials on the wrong foot.
The incident comes close on the heels of the seizure of a Royal Bengal Tiger hide by the special task force (STF) personnel from Bisipur Square under the Udala forest range in the district, December 14, last year. Two persons were arrested in this connection. This has also raised doubts about the sincerity and dedication of Forest officials in protecting wild animals.
The raid took place after Khunta police were informed about rampant sale of country and foreign liquor in its area on the occasion of the ongoing Makar festival. A team of Khunta police led by IIC Lopamudra Nayak raided the house of Chittarnjan Sahu in Bholagadia village. The police were searching for liquor inside the house when a foul smell from a box drew their attention. They opened the box and found a leopard hide stored inside instead of liquor. When questioned, Chittaranjan said that the hide had been kept in his house by another person.
Reports said that the Forest personnel have failed to prevent poaching in the Similipal wildlife sanctuary despite the Centre and state government pumping in several crores for the protection and safety of big cats. The back-to-back seizure of leopard and Royal Bengal Tiger hides in areas within a seven-kilometer range of Similipal foothill is alarming and exposes the rampant poaching of wild animals, especially big cats in the sanctuary, former wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya said.