Honnavar: A team of forest officials arrested four persons on Wednesday for illegally possessing leopard nails.

They were arrested at Mugva Cross in Mugva village, and at Areangadi in Honnavar taluk. Anthony Menin Fernandes (48), Roshan Vincent Logo (45), Mahesh Ram Naik (36), and Ganapathi Narayan Gowda (29) are the accused. Nine leopard nails, and a bike were recovered from them.

It is said that these nails are used as pendants. Officials are carrying out investigations to know if these people had themselves killed the leopards to get the nails or were trade mediators. More people are expected to be involved in the case.