The Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch with the help of Gunupur forest officials conducted a raid near Bangi junction on the NH-23 under Gunupur police station in Rayagada district and seized a leopard skin on Sunday.
The agency also arrested a person in this connection. The accused was identified as Jayanta Bibar of Bandipanka village under the Chandrapur police limits in Rayagada district.
A leopard skin and other incriminating materials were recovered from Bibar’s possession. The accused could not produce any authority in support of the possession of the skin, for which he was detained and handed over to Gunupur forest officials for further action.
Notably, in the special drive from 2020 against wildlife trade, the STF has seized as many as 29 leopard skins, 24 elephant tasks, seven deer skins, 14 live pangolins, 30.4 kg of pangolin scales, two leopard teeth, 29 leopard claws, 46 live wild parrots and arrested 70 wildlife criminals.
