Thaindian News

Lucknow, Dec 28 (IANS) A man has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh on charges of killing a leopard whose carcass was recovered from the Dudhwa forest reserve, an official said Tuesday.The man was arrested late Monday in Lakhimpur Kheri, some 200 km from Lucknow, following a joint operation by the state forest officials and the district police.

“The poacher has been nabbed. Other people could also be involved in the killing of the leopard. Investigations are on to ascertain if the poacher is linked to any organised racket,” Dudhwa reserve deputy director Sanjay Pathak told reporters, declining to comment any further.

“Stern action has already been recommended against three-four officials and employees as their role too comes under the scanner if poaching takes place inside the Dudhwa reserve,” a senior forest official told IANS.

The carcass of the leopard, a male around three years old, was recovered late Sunday from the Kishunpur sanctuary of the forest reserve.

The forest officials earlier believed that the feline died because it got trapped in the dense shrubs, but the recovery of a metal snare from the site made the officials suspicious.