Pangolin rescued in Odisha’s Koraput, two held
Pangolin rescued in Odisha’s Koraput, two held
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Koraput: On Sunday, the Odisha Police Special Task Force (STF) recovered a live pangolin and detained two 'wildlife smugglers' in the area.
A team of STF officers, with the assistance of Koraput Forest officials, raided the route between Koraput and Boriguma under the Koraput Sadar police station based on valid information that the two individuals were planning to smuggle the pangolin.
According to a news release from the STF, wildlife criminals Madhab Paraja and Jagabandhu Paraja of Bindhaniguda village in the district's Bishingpur police station were detained during the raid.
A live pangolin and other incriminating items were discovered in their possession during the search. The accused were detained and then given over to Koraput Forest officials after they were unable to present any documentation proving their ownership of the pangolin.
The pangolin was given over to the Department of Fisheries and Oceanography in Koraput for safekeeping, and an inquiry is underway.
Since 2020, the STF has confiscated 25 leopard skins, 13 elephant tusks, 7 deer skins, 11 live pangolins, and 16 kg of pangolin scales, in addition to capturing 57 wildlife criminals, according to the press release.
