The Crime Branch’s Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday seized a leopard skin from the possession of a person at Baramunda under Khandagiri police station.
Later, the accused was arrested and forwarded to court. He was identified as Prasant Kumar Naik of Karanjia area in Mayurbhanj district. He works as a driver with a private university. According to reports, Naik had planned to sell the leopard skin to a person at Baramunda. Acting on inputs STF team raided the spot and recovered the leopard hide from side box of his motorcycle.
A case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act was registered in this connection. Further investigation by STF was underway to ascertain the involvement of others in the offence.
The leopard hide would be sent to Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun for chemical examination.