Raipur: In a major breakthrough against wildlife crime, two hardcore interstate traffickers were arrested in Chhattisgarh near Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Nuapada district of Odisha on Wednesday while attempting to smuggle Royal Bengal Tiger skin.
The anti-poaching team of Chhattisgarh's Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve intercepted the duo near Bhanupratappur village following a tip-off. Both accused, reportedly from Maharashtra, were carrying tiger skin allegedly hunted in the Indravati-Abujhmad forest in Chhattisgarh.
Forest officials confirmed that the operation was carefully planned to trap the traffickers, resulting in the successful seizure of the contraband. Authorities have now launched a wider investigation to identify other members of the trafficking network.
The arrest highlights the growing menace of wildlife poaching across interstate borders and underscores the urgent need for coordinated enforcement to protect endangered species like the Royal Bengal Tiger.