Bhubaneswar: In a significant anti-wildlife trafficking operation, the Forest Department seized elephant tusks and arrested four persons during a raid in the Sadar forest division of Keonjhar district.
Following interrogation of one of the accused identified as Sunil Soren of Amrutpada village under Sadar police station, officials raided his house today and recovered approximately 1 kg of pangolin scales, according to reports.
Sunil confessed to have killed a pangolin inside Nayagarh forest near the village, consumed its meat, and hid the scales for sale.
The raid was conducted this morning by a team led by Sadar Range Officer Ajit Kumar Das and Forester Jatindra Kumar Sahu. In connection with the ivory smuggling case, the Forest Department has also detained two more persons Geda Majhi (50) of Kandarapasi village
Bibhishan Munda (22) of Sarukudara village. Further investigation is ongoing.
