Two arrested for killing leopard

Two person were arrested today for killing a leopard in Ganjam district.
The two, 32-year-old Panchanana Karjee of Chadeibada and 24-year-old Titu Behera of Masanibadi village were arrested for killing the leopard on June 15, Divisional Forest Officer Berhampur, S S Mishra said..
Forest officials had seized the skin of the animal measuring 180 cm long and 54 cm wide, six nails and a country-made gun from an abandoned house on June 18 in a village under the Patrapur forest range.
"We have nabbed the two who confessed to killing of the animal in the jungle near Bhagalati irrigation project, adjoining Gajapati district," the DFO said.

The two who were in the jungle for shifting cultivation, claimed to have killed the animal to save a goat, which was lifted by the leopard.
Forest officials ruled out their link with international smugglers to sell the animal's hide.

"Though some of the leopards are suspected to roam in around a 50 km radius covering Andhra Pradesh, Gajapati and Ganjam districts in the state, this is the first case of killing in the area," Forest Range Officer R K Rout said.
"During the last tiger census, we had found signs of a leopard roaming in the jungle," he stated.

Leopard is a protected animal and falls under Schedule I category of Indian Wildlife Protection Act.
"Possession of its skin or its hunting are banned and is an offence," said a senior forest officer.