Kumaon unit of Special Task Force (STF) Uttarakhand has arrested a wildlife peddler from Jajardeval, a remote area of Pithoragarh district, and recovered leopard skin with width of eight feet from his possession. The accused has been identified as Jagdish Singh Kaira, resident of Didihat. Another accused named Hemant Singh Kharayat alias Hemu managed to escape, said STF Uttarakhand SSP P Renuka Devi on Saturday. She further said that a team comprising inspector RB Chamola, sub-inspectors NK Bhatt and Surendra Singh Kanwal, constables- Mahendra Giri, Virendra Singh Chauhan, Durga Singh Papra, Salman Khan- were formed to arrested the accused after they received a tip-off.
She said that a case under sections 2/3/38/49b/50/51/57 of wild life protection Act has been registered against the accused in police station concerned. Team has been formed to arrest the fugitives.
The accused is learnt to have admitted his crime when he was grilled, she said. Interrogation revealed that the accused had used poison to kill the leopard. The State DGP has announced reward of Rs 20, 000 to the team for cracking the case.