A 41-year-old man from Odisha's Nabarangpur district was arrested on Sunday for trafficking a Royal Bengal Tiger skin, forest officials said.
Forest officials in Nabarangpur said Shibun Takri, a pastor from Khaliguda village, was arrested by an undercover team while negotiating the sale of the animal skin.
However, two of Takri’s associates managed to escape into the forest after sensing the presence of the enforcement team.
Divisional forest officer Udayan Subuddhi said a special team constituted under assistant conservator of forests Subash Chandra Khuntia and Dabugaon range officer Ramachandra Bhatra reached the Patri Reserve Forest area behind the Patri Gram Panchayat office around 4 pm and posed as prospective buyers.
During the operation, they identified a suspect allegedly attempting to sell a Royal Bengal Tiger skin concealed in a bag.
Subuddhi said the tiger skin, which had reportedly been stitched, was being offered for ₹10 lakh.
Forest officials suspect a larger wildlife trafficking network operating in the region.
A case has been registered under relevant wildlife protection laws.
