Carrying leopard cubs in bags, two held near Raipur

RAIPUR: Two persons have been arrested for allegedly smuggling two leopard cubs , at Ghot village near Raipur on Wednesday night. Forest officials have sent the rescued cubs to jungle safari in Naya Raipur .


According to police, the accused have been identified as Mohammad Sabir Ali and Rakesh Nishad, both residents of city's Chuna Bhatti locality.

Acting on a tip-off , a special police team was constituted by senior superintendent of police (SSP) Arif Sheikh Hussein.

The duo were coming from Gariaband district to Raipur on a two-wheeler. At Ghot village near Abhanpur area, police stopped them and carried a search ,when they saw two leopard cubs hidden in bags. Police rescued the cubs and the duo were immediately taken into the custody.

The forest department official Uttam Gupta said that police have handed over two leopard cubs rescued from the smugglers on Wednesday night. The cubs aged between one to one and half month have been shifted to jungle safari in Naya Raipur.

During the investigation, the accused confessed that they purchased the two leopard cubs for Rs5,00,000 from one of the villagers from Mainpur region in Gariaband district. So to avoid police checking, they left their car and took two-wheeler on the way back to Raipur.

Police have started investigations to ascertain the gang to whom the smugglers planned to sell the cubs.

Also, inspector general of police, Raipur range announced a reward of Rs 30,000 for the police team that nabbed the smugglers.