Four leopard skins seized from poachers in Srinagar

Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized the skins of four leopards after busting poaching gangs operating in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar. As many as 8 people including a J&K policeman involved in the illegal wildlife trade have been detained.

Acting on intelligence reports, officers of Mumbai Zonal Unit reached Srinagar in J&K posing as buyers of leopard skins.

After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers brought the first skin of a leopard to a pre-designated place near Dal Gate in Srinagar. Officers on surveillance intercepted a person who was carrying a leopard skin near the designated place. On the basis of his information, another accomplice was also intercepted at a public place in Srinagar.

After securing the first catch, the rounds of intense negotiations were continued with another gang of sellers following which another 3 leopard skins were seized and 3 people arrested in the case.

Initial investigation suggested that the leopards were poached from Ladakh, Doda and Uri.