Assam forest team bust illegal wildlife trade racket, arrest three persons

GUWAHATI

A team of Assam forest officials busted an illegal animal trade and arrested three poachers.

Kaziranga National Park Director P. Sivakumar informed on Thursday that the three persons were caught near Bihpukhuri under Gingia police station within Biswanath Wildlife Division in connection with illegal trade and possession of leopard skin and bones.

"The leopard is suspected to be hunted near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border area," Sivakumar said.

The three accused have been identified as Yudhisthir Tati (28), Subhash Mirdha (24) and Bulet Munda alias Babu (37).

The endangered clouded leopard has been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2008.