BERHAMPUR: Forest officials of the Khalikote range on Thursday arrested two persons in connection with the death of a leopard whose carcass was found hanging from a tree near Jarada village under Kabisuryanagar block.
The accused are Balaram Bhuyan (43) of Gudiali village and Rabindra Goud (49) of Kabisuryanagar. During raids conducted at the houses of the accused on Thursday, forest officials seized two blackbuck horns, eight wild boar teeth, 1 kg of GI wire, 10 metre service wire, two pairs of gloves, a pair of pliers, a knife, a screwdriver, a tester, a billhook, a wooden log, a meat axe, a small billhook and clutch wire, among other items.
The carcass of the male leopard was discovered atop a tree on Tuesday with a snare entangled around its body. Local villagers spotted the dead animal in the morning and alerted the forest department. Preliminary probe suggested the leopard died after getting trapped in the snare.