Bhubaneswar, Feb 12: On Monday, the Special Task Force (STF) apprehended a wildlife offender and confiscated a leopard skin from his possession at Dasingbadi Ghati in the jurisdiction of Daringbadi police, Kandhamal district.

Acting on intelligence, the STF, in collaboration with Kandhamal Forest Officials and local police, conducted raids leading to the arrest of Gheneswar Pradhan, 35, from Gohibadi village in the vicinity. Additionally, a homemade pistol and other pertinent materials were seized.

Lacking authorization for the leopard skin and firearm, Pradhan faces arrest and will be presented before the Court of JMFC, Daringbadi, according to an STF statement.

The STF has filed charges under sections 379/411 IPC, read with Section 25 Arms Act, 1959, and Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The confiscated leopard skin will undergo biological examination at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, while the seized homemade pistol will be subject to ballistic examination at the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL) in Rasulgarh, the STF said.

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