THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The forest officials here on Monday held a four-member gang which was in possession of a leopard skin.
According to sources, the gang was held from Shanghumukham while travelling in two luxury cars with the skin with the intention of selling it.
The gang comprising two Tamilians claimed that they got the leopard skin from Tamil Nadu. The gang was suspected to be linked to inter-state poaching rackets.
Those arrested were identified as Shanu, 34, and Charles, 35, both hailing from Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, Sujas, 45, of Pongumoodu near Ulloor here and Santhosh, 39, of Thachottukavu near here.
They were produced before a local court and remanded. A team led by flying squad divisional forest officer J R Ani and Palode range forest officer S V Vinod made the arrests on the basis of a tip-off received by forest assistant conservator S Santhosh Kumar.
