Two held for trying to sell leopard nails

The Mysuru Forest Mobile Squad arrested two persons from Ilwala on the outskirts of Mysuru and recovered eight leopard nails from them.

The accused, M.R. Lokesh, 68, and Ashok, 43, were arrested when they were trying to sell them.

During interrogation, Lokesh said he had come across a dead leopard in his fields in Mavinapura in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district several years ago. He had taken out its nails had kept them.

As he was in need of money, Lokesh said he had come to Mysuru with his friend Ashok to sell the nails. The accused were produced before the Second JMFC court on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days, said a statement issued by the CID Forest Cell, Bengaluru.