The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), MP, along with Special Task Force (STF) Odisha, caught two accused who were out to sell the leopard skin and other articles on Monday. The WCCB officials received a tip-off regarding few suspicious persons who were looking for selling restricted wildlife articles (remains) at Barkote, Deogarh district, Odisha. The higher authority shared the details with STF Odisha and constituted a joint team to initiate action. The accused were found carrying a black bag on a motorcycle at Barkote, in Deogarh district on March 22, 2021. Alert members of joint team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and STF Odisha caught both the accused red-handed while carrying the restricted wildlife articles.

 

According to official sources of WCCB MP, the team reached the spot at around 7.45 am on March 22 and found two persons engaged in conversation standing near a motorcycle. One of the two persons was carrying a black bag on his back. Out of suspicion, the team members cordoned them from all sides and asked them to disclose their identity. The person who was carrying the bag revealed his identity as Somnath Patra (26), son of Madhaba Patra while the other one identified himself as Rajib Lochan Patra (40), son of late Debadhi Patra both belonging to village Salohi, Kadapada, Barkote police station in Deogarh district.

 

The joint team asked them to open the bag as they suspected that they were in possession of illegal articles. When the person opened the bag in presence of witnesses, they found a leopard skin, maxillary and mandibular jaw bone with teeth, five pieces of paw with claws (nails) and three pieces of whiskers (moustache) of the animal. Both the accused then confessed to have approached a customer from nearby Bonai Chhaka to sell the leopard skin.