A day after the Special Task Force (STF) seized six leopard and deer hides and arrested a person in Kalahandi district, as many as four leopard skins were seized and three wildlife smugglers were arrested by Forest Department officials in Mayurbhanj district on Sunday.
Acting on a tipoff about the wildlife products’ trading in Bahalda village in the district, Baripada officials led by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) conducted a raid and recovered the leopard skins.
Further investigation into the incident was on to ascertain whether the hides were procured from someone else or the supplier had obtained the skins after killing the leopards.
The arrested were being interrogated about wildlife smuggling. The forest officials refused to divulge more information about the incident apprehending hampering of further investigations.