A 55-year-old man has been arrested in Himachal Pradesh for allegedly possessing two leopard skins -- both of fully grown animals, police said Sunday.

"Two skins of fully grown leopards were seized yesterday (Saturday) from a poacher near Nahan in Sirmaur district," Superintendent of Police P.D. Parsad said.

He said one of the skins was eight-feet-three-inch long and the other was seven-feet-one-inch. The leopard is a protected animal and possession of its skin is illegal.

The arrested man has been identified as Gyan Singh. A case under relevant sections of the Wildlife Preservation Act has been registered against him.

Nahan is close to the Renuka wildlife sanctuary, some 165 km from state capital Shimla.