Boudh: A team comprising of STF officials of Odisha Crime Branch conducted a raid near Bandhanjhulli under Manamunda police limits in Boudh district Wednesday.
The team arrested a poacher and trader of wildlife body parts named Mahendra Bhaina of Badalguda area under Manamunda police limits in the district in the afternoon.
A leopard skin and other incriminating instruments were seized from the possession of the poacher. The accused could not produce any valid document of authority in support of possessing the leopard skin, for which he has been arrested, a STF official expressed.
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In this connection, the STF PS case (No.-17, dated 28.04.2021 U/s 379/411/120 (B) of IPC r/w 51 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was registered. The seized leopard skin will be sent to Wild Life Institute of India in Dehradun for chemical examination, the official added.
A probe is still underway to find out involvement of any other person.
Notably, a special drive against the wildlife criminals and poachers is being carried out for the last one year and STF has seized as many as 14 leopard skins, nine elephant tusks, two deer skins, three live pangolins and 5kg of pangolin scales including arrest of 28 wildlife criminals and traders as well. At least 16 criminal cases have been registered against the wildlife criminals during this period.
PNN