Mancherial poaching case: Officials confirm killing of leopard by teak smugglers

Forest officials in Mancherial uncovered a leopard poaching racket in Ootla village, Dandepalli mandal. Three men were arrested for attempting to trade 13 leopard nails.

Mancherial: Investigations by Forest officials into the trading of wildlife parts seized at Ootla village in Dandepalli mandal revealed that the offenders had poached a leopard and extracted its nails.

The investigating officials carried out an extended probe into the seizure of the nails from the accused persons till late on Saturday night. They said the three persons, who were arrested for allegedly trying to trade 13 nails of a leopard at Ootla, admitted to killing the animal by setting a snare using iron wires from clutches used for two-wheelers. They later torched the body to destroy evidence before plucking its nails.

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Investigations conducted by a special team of Forest officials along with a veterinary doctor confirmed that the animal killed by the accused was a leopard. The animal was reportedly killed on the outskirts of Ootla a few weeks ago.

The department deployed a sniffer dog named Cheetah to trace the offenders and conducted searches after closing the village from four directions following a tip-off.

On Saturday, Modte Venkatesh and Modte Srinivas, both residents of Ootla, and Vanaparthi Srikanth of Mamidipalli village were apprehended on charges of attempting to trade wildlife parts. Investigators said the accused were also involved in smuggling teak timber and had earlier been booked for felling and cutting teak trees.

Forest officials said investigations into the offence were continuing. They suspect that more persons might have been involved in the poaching of the leopard and said the role of others could be established after completion of the probe within a week or two.