Two persons from Haryana were arrested by the police on Sunday for allegedly smuggling leopard skin from Solan district of Himachal Pradesh.
Police said the arrests were made on Sunday from a hotel in Solan. “We have received a tip-off that some persons were trying to sell leopard skin, after which a raid was conducted in a hotel in Solan,” police said, adding two persons have been arrested in the case.
The accused, who are the natives of Haryana, had struck a deal with a person to sell the leopard skin for around Rs 70-80 lakh and the deal was to take place in a hotel in Solan, sources said.
Though the deal couldn’t materialise as the police officials got whiff of the alleged smuggling and they were apprehended.
A case under Sections of Wildlife Act has been registered against the accused and experts from Wildlife departments have been called to ascertain the age of leopards.
“Police officials are further interrogating the accused to ascertain whether more persons are involved in the poaching of wild animals,” Assistant Superintendent of Police, Solan,Manmohan Singh told The Statesman.
Police officials are further investigating the case to find out whether they are part of some racket and the prospective buyer to whom the leopard skin was to be sold, he said.