Leopard skin seized from poacher in Odisha's Cuttack district

Forest officials in Odisha's Cuttack district arrested a poacher from a jungle and seized a leopard skin from his possession, a senior official said Monday. "We have seized a leopard skin and a double-barrel gun from his possession," said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Athagarh, Sasmita Lenka. 

Ruling out any connection of this case with the recent death of a Royal Bengal tiger in Satakosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district, the DFO said the poacher has been identified as one Ichhananda Jani of Patrabhag village and he is now being questioned. 

The DFO also informed that the poacher has admitted of killing the leopard in the Narasinghpur jungles about a year ago. 

Although the leopard skin is now polished there is a clear-cut gunshot injury mark found on it. Involvement of others, in this case, is now being verified, she added.

(With inputs from agencies.)