Forest officials have arrested a poacher within 48 hours in connection with the death of a leopard in Kathagochhi area under Mitrapur forest range of Nilgiri division in Balasore.

The leopard had died on May 12 after reportedly getting trapped in a snare allegedly laid for hunting inside the forest area. Following the incident, forest officials launched an investigation and arrested the accused on May 14.

According to forest officials, reliable inputs received during the investigation helped officials identify the accused involved in the case.

A forest department team later conducted a raid at the accused’s house and reportedly recovered materials believed to have been used in the hunting activity.

Nilgiri ACFO Tatini Sethi said the accused was taken into custody and interrogated following the raid.

“The leopard had died due to snaring on May 12. Based on reliable information, we identified the accused and conducted a search at his house, where we found materials related to the hunting activity. The accused was arrested within 48 hours and interrogated,” she said.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly admitted to visiting the forest area a day before the incident and carrying out preparations for hunting.

Forest officials suspect the motive behind laying the snare was hunting. The department is now trying to ascertain whether more people were involved in the incident.

Officials said further details would emerge after completion of the investigation.