Bhubaneswar: Seven individuals including a school teacher were detained by forest officials for their alleged involvement in smuggling of wildlife parts in Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district on Tuesday. Three leopard hides were seized from their possession in Khunta and Betnoti forest range. The accused were identified as Raisen Chapeyar (45), Shermashri Sooren (27), Champai Murmu (32), Amar Kumar Singh (40), Sunaram Hembram (59), Manaranjan Tipiria (48) and Guruprasad Patra (41)

The joint crackdown was carried out in Baripada forest division close to Similipal, by a team of field staff of Baripada, Similipal South and Balasore wildlife divisions after getting special intelligence about the poaching activity. 

As per media reports, the raid was carried out after one of the field staff gave a tip-off on the illegal wildlife trade in the area. The accused were caught red-handed while looking for buyers for the hides. However, the role of the school teacher from Betnoti is still under investigation. Forest authorities also confirmed that the leopards were hunted from within Similipal with the hides being at least one or two years old, and the samples sent to OUAT, Bhubaneswar for examination. "The raid was carried out after special field intelligence. All the detained individuals are middlemen. Three leopard hides were recovered from their possession, one from Khunta and two from Betnoti. Further investigation is on to unravel the extent of the wildlife smuggling racket," a senior official said.

Last week, Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities had nabbed nine poachers and seized six country- made guns in an effort to intensify enforcement norms in the national park following the birth of three melanistic tiger cubs. The poachers were arrested with helip of AI-integrated trail-guard cameras installed in various parts of the reserved area.