ONGOLE: Armed with information provided by Bengaluru-based Wildlife Crime Bureau officials, the Giddaluru Forest range officials arrested nine accused and seized one leopard skin and nails, along with a Bolero car and a motorbike from their possession.
Now, forest officials are investigating thoroughly about the gang’s involvement in other similar offenses. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the forest officials presented all nine accused in the Markapuram court and the judge remanded the accused for 15 days.
According to police, M Rangaswamy, one of the prime accused, belongs to Jayarampuram village in Giddaluru mandal and he is a shepherd, many of whose sheep and goats were hunted by a leopard making him worry about the protection of his cattle from the attack of the big cat.
Hence, he in consultation with a relative, his namesake, chalked out a plan to eliminate the leopard by mixing poison in to the water source of the wild animal near its habitation. Later, both of them went to the forest and mixed poison in to the water trench. As per their plan, the leopard came and drank the poisoned water and died.
Then, both Rangaswamys consulted former tribal forest watcher Y Anand and with his help, took the skin and nails of the leopard. Later, they tried to sell those through internet. In the process, they came into contact with some persons having experience in this trade. Then, D Srinivasa Rao, a constable of Armed Reserve Police at Ongole was contacted, who assured them to sell the skin and nails and was handed over the goods.
By picking up their trail to sell the parts online, Bengaluru Wildlife Crime Bureau officials informed the Giddaluru forest officials and they in turn, started to track their movements. As they came to know that Srinivasa Rao was in search of traders, forest officials acted smartly and called him to Ambavaram-JP Cheruvu road in Giddaluru limits on Tuesday evening. The officials found the skin, nails in his vehicle and arrested him. Later, others in the network were also arrested.