Three arrested for trading leopard pelt

Acting on a tip off that leopard pelt was being traded in front of Venkateshwara Lodge at around 5.30 am on Friday, Circle Inspector of Police  Raviprasad, with his staff, raided the place and arrested the three and seized the pelt.

Tippeswamy from Toreobanahalli, Hiriyur taluk, had killed a leopard and wanted to sell the pelt.

Bilikere Kumaraiah, Shekhar of Banasandra acted as middlemen and had settled to sell the pelt for Rs 20,000. The market price of the pelt is said to be Rs 5 lakh.

Forest department officials suspect that the suspects might have used a poisoned animal as bait to kill the leopard. The arrested are under judicial custody.