Forest officials in Odisha’s Nayagarh district have detained three individuals for allegedly killing a leopard and attempting to smuggle its skin.
The arrests were made following a raid in the Gania forest range, under the Nayagarh Forest Division, where authorities recovered a leopard skin and weapons used in the poaching.
The incident reportedly began when a leopard attacked a goat belonging to a resident, Trinath Pradhan, in Khalsahi village. In retaliation, Trinath, along with Bimbadhar Nayak and Ramachandra Dalabehera, is alleged to have set up electric traps and used firearms to kill the leopard sometime between December and January.
Acting on a tip-off, the Nayagarh Forest Division, in coordination with the Mahanadi Wildlife Division, conducted a raid at Trinath’s residence. During the search, officials recovered the leopard’s remains and a shotgun suspected to have been used in the killing.
While three suspects have been detained, two others remain at large as the investigation continues.
