Pangolin Weighing 12 Kilograms Rescued by Odisha STF in Bargarh, Wildlife Poacher Arrested (Watch Video)
Bhubaneswar, April 3: In a joint operation with the Kalahandi Forest department, the Odisha Special Task Force (STF) rescued a live pangolin weighing 12 kg and detained a wildlife poacher from Odisha’s Bargarh district on Sunday, officials said. The officials also recovered some incriminating materials from the possession of the accused.
“Acting on a tip-off, a raid was carried out by an STF team on Saturday along with forest officials of the Bargarh Forest Division near Bijadihi square under Padmapur police station in Bargarh district and arrested Mahadev Mutkia of Gandapalli,” JN Pankaj IG STF Odisha said on Sunday.
Live Pangolin Rescued in Odisha
#WATCH | A Pangolin weighing 12 kg along with other incriminating materials were recovered from the possession of a person namely Mahadev Mutkia by Odisha Police CID-CB STF & Forest Officials of Bargarh Forest Division during their raid on April 1, near Bijadihi Chhaka under… pic.twitter.com/UgwebNoDwO
— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2023
The accused has been handed over to Padmapur Forest Officials for further legal action. The live pangolin was handed over to District Forest Officer (DFO) Bargarh for safe custody, said Odisha IG STF. Uttarakhand: Endangered Pangolin Rescued in US Nagar, 1 Arrested
Further investigation is underway. The Indian pangolin, also called thick-tailed pangolin, scaly anteater, and ‘bajrakatpa’ in Odia is a solitary, shy, slow-moving nocturnal mammal. Pangolin Trafficking: Belakoba Forest Range Rescues Mammal, Arrests 5 From Sikkim Trying to Sell Pangolin in Bhutan.
It is a schedule-I protected animal under the Wild Life Protection act, 1972. Schedule-1 provides absolute protection – offences under this are prescribed for the highest penalties.
