Bhubaneswar, Feb 12 : The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha crime branch on Monday arrested a wildlife criminal during a raid at Dasingbadi Ghati under Daringbadi police station in Kandhamal district.

The accused was identified as Gheneswar Pradhan, 35, of Gohibadi village in Kandhamal.

Following a tip-off, the STF team with the help of Kandhamal Forest Officials as well as Kandhamal Police carried out a raid posing as the customer and apprehended the accused poacher in the wee hours of Monday. "During the search, one leopard skin, one country-made pistol and other incriminating materials were recovered from his possession,' said KK Panigrahi, Superintendent of Police, STF.

A case under various sections of IPC, the Arms Act and the Wild Life (Protection) Act has been registered against the accused Pradhan who was produced before the court at Daringbadi on Monday.

Panigrahi also stated the seized leopard skin will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun for biological examination and the country-made pistol will be sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), Rasulgarh here for ballistic examination.

/IANS