Berhampur: Forest officials have arrested two more individuals from Gochhaguda in Chandragiri forest range of Gajapati district for their alleged involvement in killing a leopard nearly a month ago. The arrests follow the recovery of a leopard skin in Gundurubadi under Ganjam district’s Ghumusar North division on Sunday.
Widening Investigation into Leopard Poaching
The operation comes after seven people, including a retired police officer, were arrested earlier for possession of the leopard hide. Acting on information obtained during questioning, a joint team from Ghumusar North and Paralakhemundi forest divisions raided the residence of Khetriya Mallick in Gochhaguda.
During the raid, Khetriya’s son, Sukhadev Mallick (25), and his associate, Lulu Mallick (29), were taken into custody. Nagaraj K, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Paralakhemundi, confirmed the arrests. Khetriya himself had been arrested the previous day.
Seizures and Evidence Collection
Officials seized four leopard teeth stored in a plastic bottle, multiple animal traps, arrows, a blood-stained sickle, and a mobile phone. These items were found in possession of the accused during the raid.
Himansu Sekhar Mohanty, DFO of Ghumusar North division, stated that the confiscated leopard hide and teeth would be sent for DNA profiling to the Centre for Wildlife at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar. “This will help confirm the origin of the seized parts and strengthen the case,” he said.
