Forest teams confirmed the leopard died after getting trapped in a clutch-wire snare that Dinesh had allegedly set to hunt wild boars. The wire tightened around the animal’s torso as it struggled, causing severe bleeding and eventual death. “The accused is a habitual wild boar hunter. He had installed the trap illegally, and the leopard got caught accidentally,” DFO Pradeep Mishra said.

The case turned after villagers informed officials that a minor boy, the accused’s son, had a video showing the leopard alive inside the snare with all limbs intact. The footage contradicted the family’s denial and helped investigators locate the original trap site, confirming the carcass had been moved to mislead authorities.

A dog squad deployed by the Forest Department later traced the scent trail from the dumping spot to the accused’s residence near Garhi. A joint search with police led to the seizure of tools believed to have been used to mutilate the carcass, including a hatchet, sickle, screwdriver, pliers and an airgun. Under questioning, Dinesh reportedly changed his statements multiple times before admitting he had cut off the paws hoping to sell the nails.

Based on his confession, officials recovered the buried paws from a nearby field, securing them as key evidence. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and the accused will be produced in court soon. Authorities are investigating potential links to a wider poaching network.