UMERKOTE: Forest officials seized a tiger’s skin and arrested a person on charges of trafficking during a raid in the Patari reserve forest under the Dabugaon forest range in Nabarangpur district on Saturday. Two other suspects managed to escape and a search is on to nab them.
The accused is Shibun Takri (41), a resident of Khaliguda village under Dabugaon police limits.
Forest officials suspect the seizure may have exposed a larger wildlife trafficking network operating in the region.
Following a tip-off about an impending sale of a tiger skin in the reserve forest, officials of the Nabarangpur forest division, led by assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Subash Chandra Khuntia and Dabugaon range officer Ramachandra Bhatra conducted a raid at around 4 pm in the forest area behind the Patari Gram Panchayat office. During the operation, officials spotted three suspects near a motorcycle. On noticing the forest personnel, two of them fled into the forest, while one was apprehended after a brief chase.
A search of the accused led to the recovery of a stitched Royal Bengal Tiger skin concealed inside a bag. Officials said the skin appeared to have been prepared for illegal sale. The motorcycle allegedly used by the accused was also seized.
Forest authorities have registered a case under the relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the source of the tiger skin and identify others involved in the illegal trade.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the arrested accused was working as a pastor in Amlabhatta village under Tentulikhunti block. Officials are examining whether he had links with an inter-state wildlife trafficking network.
Nabarangpur divisional forest officer (DFO) Udayan Subudhi said, “ Efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding suspects and dismantle the entire network behind the smuggling operation.”