Bhubaneswar, 3 November (H.S.): In a major operation against wildlife trafficking, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch on Monday busted a leopard skin trading racket and arrested three persons in Bhubaneswar for their alleged involvement in the illegal trade.

According to official sources, Rohit Mohapatra, believed to be the mastermind of the racket, has been arrested along with two others, reportedly students of a local educational institution whose identities are yet to be confirmed.

Acting on a tip-off, the STF team conducted a raid in the Jayadev Vihar area, where the accused were allegedly negotiating a ₹30-lakh deal for a leopard skin. The skin, reportedly smuggled from Karnataka, was being traded in Bhubaneswar.

The STF team, posing as potential buyers, intercepted the accused and seized the leopard skin, which has been sent for forensic examination to verify its authenticity.

Officials said that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the trafficking network and trace the source of the contraband.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda