RAYAGADA: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch seized two leopard hides and arrested two persons in Rayagada district on Tuesday.
The accused Bikram Majhi and Raja Majhi from Bijapur village under Chandrapur police limits were produced before SDJM Rayagada on Wednesday.
According to official sources, the STF team, acting on reliable information regarding dealing/ possession of wildlife products, raided a place near Tamparbiduni Chowk under Chandili police limits in the district on Tuesday and recovered two leopard skins besides other incriminating materials from the duo’s possession. The accused could not produce any supporting documents and were arrested.
A case under Sections 379, 411, 120 (B) of the IPC and Section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act was registered in this connection.The skins will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for biological examination, STF personnel said.
However the seizure of the skins has raised many eye brows, as six leopards from the district forests were missing. As per official records in 2016 census, the range had six leopards including two each in Gumma and Chandrapur forests and one each in Muniguda and Ambadala. However, during tiger census last week, no leopard was found, indicating the six big cats of the forests were missing.
The district has also lost around 14 elephants. Official records as per 2017 census states, the district had 16 elephants - eight in Gudari, six in Muniguda and two in Kalyansingpur forest range. But as per current official records, only two elephants were found in Gudari range.
Surprisingly, the forest officials could not confirm anything on the missing leopards and elephants. However in-charge DFO, S Anand said an inquiry would be done about the missing wild animals.
“We are regularly tracking wild animals and creating awareness among the public to protect them,” the official said.
