Four persons arrested in wildlife skin trading

Hubli, Dec 13 (UNI) The State Forest Vigilance squad here today seized wildlife animals skins of leopards, tigers and otters worth Rs 28 lakh and four persons were arrested in this connection.

According to the police, these skins were seized during a raid at a houses which allegedly stored in Hubli and Halyal( Uttar Kannada district).

Mr Narayana Gowda, DIG(CID) Forest Cell informed newsmen this evening that the business in skin trading was going on for the last two years. He said that the modus operandi of the poachers was used to sell these skins to customers in various states in the country.

He said that the forest squad recovered 43 otter skins, nine leopard skins and one tiger skin from these two houses this morning.

Mr Gowda said that Prabhakar confessed during the investigation that his sister-in-law Gajakash, nephew Arun and Udaya Kadam were selling the skins in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

He said that all four accused were arrested under the Anti-Wild Animal Killing Probhibition Act. Further investigations had been ordered, he said.

UNI