By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: An operation was launched by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after it developed specific intelligence over a period of time that a few gangs in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are involved in the illegal wildlife trade and, were searching for prospective buyers for the sale of leopard skins. Accordingly, a detailed plan was made to apprehend the members of the gangs.
Posing as buyers, officer of Mumbai Zonal Unit (Goa Regional Unit) reached Srinagar in J&K. After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers brought the first skin of a leopard to a pre-designated place in Srinagar near Dalgate. Officers on surveillance intercepted a person who was carrying a leopard skin near the designated place. On the basis of his information, another accomplice was also intercepted at a public place in Srinagar.
After securing the first catch, the rounds of intense negotiations were continued with another gang of sellers. After overnight negotiations, the sellers finally agreed to bring 3 leopard skins to a pre-designated location. 3 people carrying the contraband (3 leopard skins) were intercepted.
The leads generated by information gathered from them indicated that 3 more persons connected to the transaction were waiting nearby at a public place. 2 teams of officers were immediately dispatched and they intercepted 3 persons at the public place. Thus, total 8 persons involved in this illegal trading of wild life, including one serving police constable, were intercepted and total 4 skins of Leopard (Panthera pardus) were recovered. Initial investigation suggested that the leopards were poached from Ladakh, Doda and Uri.
The subject 4 leopard skins were seized under the provision of section 50(1)(c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended.
