In a major breakthrough against the gangs which are illegally selling skins and other parts of dead animals, the crime branch of Mumbai police on Monday arrested four men who were trying to sell a leopard skin for Rs. 4 lakh.
Ironically, two of the four arrested are sons of forest officials who work in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
Acting on a tip-off from sources, the crime branch on Monday laid a trap outside the national park, where the gang members were supposed to come to sell the leopard skin.
“After spotting four suspicious men outside the gates of national park, we sent our informer to speak with them. The gang members told the informer that the skin will cost him Rs. 4 lakh. We swung into action and arrested all four members,” said Ambadas Pote, spokesperson for the Mumbai police.
Those arrested are: Anup Khaire (27), Prashant Patel (26), Tushar Bagwe (20) and Abhishek Rane (23). Fathers of Patel and Bagwe work in different posts in the national park. The police have filed complaint against the arrested persons under sections 39 and 51 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.