Leopard hide and other items confiscated in Ghuttanpur village
The offence involves trading of Schedule 1 animal species that enjoys maximum protection under the act, ACF Aditya Sharma said
Acting on a tip-off, the Rapid Response Team of the Paonta Sahib Forest Division in Sirmaur seized a leopard hide and a cache of animal parts highly valued in the market from the house of one Akhtar Ali, a resident of Ghuttanpur village in Majra forest range on Wednesday morning.
Other items seized by the officials include whiskers, three pairs of horns of Ghoral, two pairs of antlers of barking deer and paws of leopard whose nails had been removed.
These items were concealed in the roof of the house. Besides, three empty cartridges and sharp edged weapon used to chop flesh along with other such items were also seized by the raiding team hinting towards an organised illicit trade of wild life items.
The team led by Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Paonta Sahib ,Aditya Sharma comprised Range Forest Officers Surendar Sharma and Sachin Sharma besides the field functionaries.
Two persons-Akhtar Ali and Saddam Hussain were arrested in this case for violation of sections 39, 40(2), 49C (7) punishable under section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
"The offence involves trading of Schedule 1 animal species that enjoys maximum protection under the act," ACF Aditya Sharma said.
The accused were produced before a court which remanded them to the custody of the forest department.
