A routine nakabandi by the Raigad police led to the discovery of two leopard cubs being smuggled from Bengaluru to Pune. It was the purring of the cubs that first alerted the cops to something amiss. The accused have been identified as Munna Habib Sayyed, 31, Shirur Irfaz Shaikh, 33, from Kondhwa, Pune, and Ayaz Pathan, 40, from Ghorpadi Peth in Pune.

Investigating officer, Assistant Police Inspector Dattatray Darade of Rajgad police station, said, "On Monday, around 10 am, we were inspecting the papers of a vehicle near Khedshivapur toll naka. Suddenly, we heard some loud purring sounds coming from inside. When we checked, we found two leopard cubs in a basket."