Wildlife racket busted in Orissa

POACHER'S TRAP: Forest personnel have busted an organised racket linked to wildlife poaching in Orissa.

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New Delhi: A joint team of crime branch of police and forest personnel have busted an organised racket linked to wildlife poaching in Orissa and arrested three persons in this connection here on Saturday.

Tusks weighing 14.3 kg and a six-feet-long leopard skin had been seized from their possession.

"A two-day undercover operation involving wildlife officials led to their arrest this morning. We have been able to establish the backward linkages in the racket, but the forward linkages are to be established," Inspector General of Police (Crime branch) B K Sharma said.

The divisional forest officer of Satkosia wildlife division, Susanta Nanda posed as a prospective buyer of the tusks and leopard skin and the trio fell into the net, the IGP said adding the linkages extend beyond the state.

The crime branch had been directed by the government to investigate into the spate of elephant deaths in some sanctuaries, including Satkosia between September to November last year as 11 tusker killings were reported in the month of November alone.

Sources said that while a leopard skin was sold for Rs 5,000 in the country, where trade in it is banned, its value increased six times in Nepal. Similarly, elephant tusks were marketed at prices ranging between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per kg in the country, while it fetched Rs 25,000 a kg in Nepal.