India News | Smuggler Held with Leopard Skin, Bones
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A wildlife smuggler was arrested in the Moran area of Assam's Dibrugarh district by wildlife officials after a chase, and it was found that he was carrying body parts of a leopard, officials said here on Monday.
Shillong, Feb 17 (PTI) A wildlife smuggler was arrested in the Moran area of Assam's Dibrugarh district by wildlife officials after a chase, and it was found that he was carrying body parts of a leopard, officials said here on Monday.
Acting on specific information received on wildlife trade, the officials from the headquarters here, reached Moran on February 14, and set up a checkpoint.
The suspected smuggler was travelling in a two-wheeler the next day, an officer of the Headquarters Preventive Unit told PTI.
The suspect, carrying two bags on his two-wheeler, tried to flee into the open field, while officials chased and arrested him, the officer said.
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The smuggler had left the bags and the two-wheeler on the spot.
A leopard skin was found inside one bag, while the animal's bones were found inside the other one, the officer said.
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides the highest level of protection to the species, recognising its critical conservation status.
The animal's skin and bones were seized.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)