DRI busts leopard skin trade in Srinagar

New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized four leopard skins in an operation against gangs involved in the wildlife trade in Srinagar, according to an official statement. The DRI said that an operation was launched based on specific intelligence that a few gangs in Srinagar were seeking prospective buyers for leopard skins. DRI officers then posed as buyers.

After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers agreed to bring a leopard skin to a designated place in Srinagar, the DRI said. Officers intercepted a person who was carrying the leopard skin and later arrested his accomplice using the information he provided.

After the first catch, the officers negotiated with another gang. "After overnight negotiations, the sellers finally agreed to bring three leopard skins to a pre-designated location. Three people carrying the contraband (three leopard skins) were intercepted," the DRI statement said. Eight people, including a serving police constable, were intercepted and a total of four leopard skins were recovered.

An initial investigation suggested that the leopards were killed in Ladakh, Doda and Uri. The skins were seized under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the eight suspects were handed over to the Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu & Kashmir, the statement said.