On Monday, the Hyderabad police seized 4 leopard nails and the skin of a leopard from 4 men who were also arrested by the police.

Commissioner of Police Mahesh Bhagwat said, “The sleuths of Sot Malkajgiri zone Rachakonda Commissionerate in a joint operation with LB Nagar police have apprehended four persons Basudev Masti, Jagannath Sisa, Bali Pangi and Nagothi Banuat in Mayur lodge LB Nagar and seized one leopard skin, four Nails and one car from their possession.”

The commissioner added, “The accused are from Odisha state and there are involved in animals poaching by laying wires traps and mostly targeting the Leopards, Tigers as their skin is very much in demand. They are well aware of this wild animals track moving frequently from SirpurKagaznagar forest area, Maharashtra Tadoba forest area, Chhattisgarh forest and borders of Orissa and Vizag forest areas.”

The police believe that the gang has around 10 members.

When asked about what was the worth of the Leopard Skin, Commissioner Bhagwat said, “After killing animals, they inform their source for disposing of the skin for a particular rate. They get Rs. 5 lakh for Leopard skin and some times more also. For Tiger’s skin, they get around Rs. 25 lakh as its demand is more than that of Leopard’s skin.”

The Commissioner added, “They have killed the leopard about three months back by laying wire traps and killed it later. They have removed the skin carefully and dried it. It was a male leopard age about two years and they informed their contacts about killing the leopard and searching for the prospective customers for selling it for five to ten lakh rupees.”

Officials said that the gang members were waiting for a customer at a hotel in the LB Naga Area, the customer was about to buy the leopard skin.