Three wildlife poachers and traders arrested in Chattisgarh

RAIPUR: Three suspected wildlife poachers and traders were arrested and the skin of a leopard and other body parts were seized from them in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district.

The poachers were identified as Anjan Singh, Mithlesh Bariha and Lalit Dhruv. The police had information that the three, natives of different villages of the district were looking for prospective customers to sell a wild animal’s body parts.

A joint team of the Local Crime Branch and the police swung into action and a group of personnel, posing as customers, fixed a deal with them at Rs 40,000. When the trio arrived in Gogal forest in Patewa, about 80Km from the state capital Raipur, they were apprehended.
The skin of a leopard, its teeth and jaws, bow, arrow and two knives were recovered from their possession.  The police were yet to ascertain the exact value of the seizure. A case has been registered in this connection and further investigation is on.