Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch have rescued a pangolin in Bolangir district on Tuesday.
On the basis of reliable information, a team of STF conducted a raid with the help of Bolangir Forest Officials on the road near Baragoan Chhaka under Deogoan Police Station of Bolangir District on Tuesday.
As a result, one wildlife criminal namely Ajit Kumar Budek of Tamian village under Larambha Police Station of the district was apprehended. During the search, one live pangolin and other incriminating articles were recovered from his possession.
He could not produce any authority in support of the possession of the pangolin, for which he was detained and handed over to Bolangir Forest Officials for legal action at their end.
The pangolin was also handed over to DFO, Bolangir for safe custody. The investigation is on.
Since 2020, a special drive against wildlife criminals/ poachers has been launched. STF has seized as many as 25 leopard skins, 13 elephant tusks, 7 deer skins, 10 live pangolins, and more than 16 kg pangolin scales with the arrest of as many as 56 numbers of wildlife criminals.
