Four people were arrested after forest officials seized a leopard skin during a raid near Kannapadu village in Rayagada district on Friday, with investigators now examining where the animal was hunted and whether more people were involved in a suspected wildlife trafficking network.
The raid was conducted near Kannapadu village under the Naira section of the Gudari forest range by personnel from the Gudari and Gunupur ranges. Three motorcycles and four mobile phones were also seized during the operation, according to forest officials.
The operation took place in the presence of assistant conservators of forests Sachidananda Sethi and Satish Kumar Dharua. Forest officials said temple priest Gaurishankar Rana of Kannapadu was allegedly attempting to flee while carrying the leopard skin when he was caught. Three other people were subsequently apprehended during the raid.
The arrested persons were identified as Rana of Derigaon panchayat under Padmapur block; Sriram Patra of Padmapur, whose native place is Shergarh in Ganjam district; retired teacher Philip Bidika of Padmapur block; and Maren Mallik of Padasahi in Tajungia village of Kandhamal district.
The seized skin measures 107 centimetres in width and 250 centimetres in length, ACF Sachidananda Sethi said. “We received information about the leopard skin being in the possession of Rana. Acting on the tip-off, we conducted a raid and seized the skin. We are investigating its origin and trying to ascertain where the leopard was hunted,” Sethi said.
The forest department has opened an investigation into the origin of the skin and the circumstances surrounding the alleged hunting of the leopard. Officials are also examining whether the seized material was connected to an illegal wildlife trade operation and whether additional people were involved.
The case places the forest department’s investigation at the centre of determining the chain behind the seizure. The officials’ immediate tasks include tracing the source of the skin, establishing how it was obtained and identifying any further links to the suspected trafficking network. No additional details about the alleged hunting location or other suspected participants were provided in the report.
The investigation follows a raid based on information received by the forest department and remains focused on the seized leopard skin, the four arrested individuals and the materials recovered with them. Further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing inquiry.
