Vijayawada: Interrogation of the persons arrested following seizure of the leopard skin has revealed that the adult wild animal had been poached three to four months ago in Odisha.
The poachers had been heading to Visakhapatnam along with the leopard skin to find prospective buyers when DRI officials caught them. The officials handed over the poachers to the Andhra Pradesh forest department, which produced them before the area’s magistrate court as per provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Two vehicles and mobile phones have also been seized from the accused.
Further investigations are under progress.
Incidentally, leopard is a protected animal in Schedule-1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Possession of the animal or any part of its body is a punishable offence under the act, which carries a punishment of seven-year imprisonment.
