9 leopard hides seized, 1 held

India: A Special Task Force of the police nabbed a wildlife smuggler in Dehradun and seized a total of nine leopard skins, two bear’s gall bladder and a deer’s antler from his possession.

Acting on a tip-off, STF personnel nabbed Raghubir Singh Bisht of Pauri Garhwal from the Tyagi road area of Dehradun. On search, nine leopard skins and two gall bladders of bears were found in his possession.

On interrogation, Raghubir disclosed that he had been given these skins and other wild animals’ parts by some individual in Tharali area of Chamoli, who had asked him to hand over this consignment in Dehradun.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Special Task Force, P Renuka Devi said a case under the Wildlife Conservation Act had been registered and further investigation was under way. She said a team of STF had left for Chamoli to nab the person, who had given these animals’ parts to Raghubir.

Significantly, the rising man-animal conflicts in Uttarakhand hills has forced local residents to become hostile towards wildlife in recent years. In the recent past, the involvement of local residents in the smuggling of wild animals’ parts has increased substantially.

(Source: Tribune India)