Gariaband, June 7: A leopard was found dead with its body parts missing in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, forest officials said on Tuesday. The carcass, around 4-5 days old, was found in a decomposed condition in south Udanti range close to the Odisha border on Monday evening, Deputy Director of Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Varun Jain said.

"Paws and teeth of the leopard, aged around 5 years, are missing leading to speculation of poaching. However, the cause of the death is not immediately known as the body is decomposed. Samples from the carcass have been sent for forensic analysis," he said. During a search in the area along with a dog squad, forest personnel zeroed in on the house of a suspect in nearby Indagaon village from where body parts of deer, bear and peacock, electric wire, bow-arrows and other materials used in poaching were found and seized, Jain said. Waghdoh, Maharashtra’s Oldest Tiger, Dies of Old Age at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.

"However, body parts of the leopard were not found and efforts are on to trace the suspect, who was not present during the raid. Further investigation is underway,' he added. On Sunday night, a tiger was found dead in Guru Ghasidas National Park of the state's Korea district with forest officials suspecting it was poisoned to death. In March this year, a leopard was found dead near Gariaband town.

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