India:  A Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) team led by deputy director Mahaveer Kaujalgi has arrested two Delhi-based smugglers with skins of two leopards and sent them to the Lakhimpur district jail on Wednesday.

Kaujalgi said acting on a tip-off, the team first arrested Dhiraj Bhasin, a resident of Nilgiri Apartment in Delhi's Alaknanda locality, with the skins of two leopard from near Palia town in Lakhimpur Kheri district on Tuesday night. "Bhasin was on his way to Nepal to sell the skins," he said.

"During interrogation, Bhasin disclosed the name of a Delhi-based operative. Following which, the team raided the farm house of Bhasin near Gandhi park in Nazafgarh locality under Chhawala police station in Delhi and arrested Gopal Singh Negi, a resident of Almora district in Uttarakhand. The operation was carried out with the help of Delhi Police," said Kaujalgi.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the skins were bought from a poacher in Bageshwar. Negi used to bring animal parts from the forests of Bageshwar and Almora districts of Uttarakhand, which were smuggled to different countries. We have got information about several poachers and smugglers of animal parts active in Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. We are now searching for other members of this gang," said Kaujalgi.

Kaujalgi told TOI, "Many influential people are involved in this case, but their names cannot be revealed at present. As of now, we will seek custody of both the accused to hunt down other members of their gang.

(Source: The Times of India)