Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force of State Crime Branch on Sunday rescued a pangolin from the clutches of two alleged traders from Koraput. The duo was identified as Madhab Paraja and Jagabandhu Paraja, residents of Bindhaniguda village under Bishingpur police limits in Koraput district.
According to the STF, a joint team of the STF and local Forest department personnel carried out a raid at Koraput – Boriguma by-pass road under Sadar police limits and apprehended the duo during wee hours of Sunday.
The pangolin has been handed over to the Divisional Forest Officer while, the accused have been detained. “They could not produce any authority in support of possession of the live Pangolin, for which they have been detained and handed over to Koraput Forest Officials,” the STF stated.
Since 2020, the STF has undertaken a special drive against the wildlife criminals / poachers. So far, the STF has seized as many as 25 leopard skin, 13 elephant tasks, 7 deer skin, more than 16 kg pangolin scales and 11 pangolins alive, as a part of the drive. “Total 57 people involved in wildlife crimes have been arrested in the process,” the STF added.
