Koraput: In a significant crackdown on wildlife crime, the forest department arrested eight individuals and seized a leopard skin during a raid at Revalkona Chowk under the Kalyansinghpur forest range of Rayagada district on Saturday. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team from the Rayagada and Kalahandi forest divisions conducted the operation, apprehending the accused while they were allegedly negotiating the sale of the animal skin.
Operation Details
Rayagada Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sachin Annasaheb Ohal stated that the successful operation was the outcome of sustained intelligence gathering and close coordination between the two forest divisions. “We received credible information regarding the illegal trade of a leopard skin and immediately launched a joint operation. Eight persons have been arrested and a leopard skin has been seized. The probe is ongoing, and further details are awaited,” Ohal said.
Among the eight accused, five are from Rayagada district and three from Kalahandi district. Forest officials confirmed that the suspects were caught red-handed while attempting to sell the skin. Preliminary investigation suggests that the seized leopard skin may have originated from the Karlapat reserve forest area in Kalahandi district.
Background of the Case
According to the DFO, a leopard is suspected to have been poached in a forest located about 8 to 10 kilometers from Bhawanipatna approximately two to four months ago. Officials disclosed that a suspected poacher from Kalahandi had been arrested earlier in connection with the killing of the animal. Information gathered during that investigation reportedly led the forest department to Revalkona, where the skin was allegedly being stored for sale.
The forest department has intensified its efforts to curb wildlife poaching and illegal trade in the region. The joint operation highlights the effectiveness of inter-divisional collaboration in combating such crimes. Authorities are now conducting further investigations to identify the entire network involved in the poaching and trade of the leopard skin.
