Two men in possession of two leopard pelts were arrested in the Clement Town area of Dehradun by the police special task force. According to STF, its senior superintendent of police had been receiving confidential information about the poaching of wild animals in the remote and high altitude Himalayan region in Uttarkashi district.
The pelts, bones and body parts of the poached wildlife were reportedly being smuggled to Nepal-Tibet region.
After verification of such inputs and ascertaining the identity of the suspected wildlife poachers, an STF team was formed to monitor the persons and take necessary action. On Monday, the STF arrested Babu Ram Uniyal hailing from Kot village in Uttarkashi district and Himalayan Sherpa also hailing from Uttarkashi but presently residing in Dehradun.
The duo was caught with the pelts of two leopards from the Clement Town area of the city on Monday. The Clement Town police registered a case against the duo under the Wildlife Protection Act.
According to the police, the two leopard pelts seized from the two men could fetch about Rs 12 lakh in the international wildlife contraband market. The two men are being questioned in detail to secure further information related to wildlife crime nexus known to be active in different parts of the state.