Three wildlife smugglers held in U'khand with leopard skins

Pithoragarh (U'khand), Sep 13 (PTI) As part of a drive to nab wildlife smugglers, police and forest department teams have arrested three people, including a sadhu, and recovered two leopard skins from their possession.

While Aan Singh Almia and Trilok Singh of Khumti village in Dharchula were arrested with a leopard skin and bear bile in their possession, Baba Chandan Giri of Khaflani Ashram in Mad village near the district headquarters was arrested with one leopard skin, two canines and 11 teeth of the animal, DFO of Pithoragarh Vinay Bhargava said.

All three of them were arrested on Sunday night and were sent to jail under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, he said.

"We are trying to find out about the network of these wildlife smugglers by interrogating them," he said.

According to the DFO, the length of skins is more than 2 metres in both cases.

These precious organs fetch wildlife smugglers lakhs of rupees when sold in the international market, the DFO said. PTI COR ALM SNE SNE