Kothagudem: Forest officials bust inter-State wildlife poachers gang, seize leopard skin

The poachers gang along with leopard skin gathered at a forest area near Kothagudem for negotiating about the sale of the skin

Kothagudem: An inter-State gang of wildlife poachers and traders was busted, skin of a leopard was seized by forest officials and nine persons from AP, Telangana and Chhattisgarh States were arrested.

Speaking to the media here on Friday assistant conservator of forests A Appaiah informed that a male leopard was killed six months back in Chintalnar forests in Chhattisgarh and its skin was taken to Chintoor of AP.

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The gang along with the leopard skin gathered at a forest area near Kothagudem for negotiating on Friday about the sale of the skin. A team of forest personnel led by ACF Appaiah and FRO S Suresh arrested the gang.

The arrested were identified as G Venkat Venu of Telangana, Kandukuri Phaneendra, P Chiranjeevi, S Srinivas, M Kosaiah and K Erumaiah of AP, Madkam Mukesh, M Jitender and Punem Singha of Chhattisgarh.