The Champawat police seized five leopard pelts and nabbed two persons while one managed to escape. According to official sources, one of the accused nabbed is reported to an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force jawan posted in Pithoragarh. The seizure was made when the police were conducts checks at Banbasa following a tip off from informants.
According to the police, on the directions of the Champawat superintendent of police and the Tanakpur circle officer, the police have been undertaken a campaign against the smuggling of narcotics and wildlife contraband. As part of this drive, the police acted on a tip off from an informant and while conducted checks recovered five leopard pelts from a car at Banbasa. On Sunday, a joint team of the Banbasa police and special operation group (SOG) seized two leopard pelts from accused Kamal Singh and two pelts from accused Pushkar Singh while another person in the car managed to escape leaving behind one leopard pelt. The two men banned by the police identified the escaped accused as Tanakpur resident Rajesh Kumar. During questioning, the two accused told the police that the pelts were to be smuggled to Nepal for being sold. A case was registered against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act and the car used in the smuggling was also seized.
The accused will be presented in the court, said the police.