Subhechcha Ganguly 
Following the discovery of a leopard hide in the Mayurbhanj district, it is pretty clear that poaching of wild animals is still occurring in Odisha. Following a tip-off, a Mayurbhanj police special unit carried out unexpected raids at a “dhaba” along the National Highway near Katra within the jurisdiction of the Bangripossi police and made the seizure.
At least eight poachers have been detained by the raid team in relation to the incident. The police believe that an organised wildlife smuggling gang is responsible for the poaching of wild animals and the illegal trade in their skins because they recently discovered another leopard skin.
After preliminary questioning, all eight defendants were brought before the court and eventually sent to judicial detention after their bail requests were denied, according to reports. The eight accused were allegedly negotiating a contract to sell the leopard skin at the restaurant, according to sources. After receiving information from trustworthy sources, a special team launched an unexpected raid and made the arrests. The suspects come from several villages that fall under the jurisdiction of the Bangripossi and Jharapokhoria police.The Odisha Crime Branch’s special task team (STF) recently detained a wildlife smuggler and seized the skins of a leopard and a Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) from his possession.
According to the initial investigation, the accused had hunted the leopard at the Similipal Sanctuary. According to the police, the accused were attempting to exchange the leopard skin for Rs 7L.
