Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police arrested two wildlife criminals and recovered two live pangolins from their possession.
STF sources here Thursday said on the basis of reliable information, a team of STF conducted a raid with the help of forest officials of Boudh forest division March 22 evening near the Boudh bypass and nabbed two wildlife criminals -Uchhab Kanhar and Prasant Kumar Behera.
During the search operation, two live Pangolins weighing 13 kg & 10 kg respectively along with other incriminating materials were recovered from their possession.
The accused persons could not produce any authority in support of possession of the two live Pangolins.
The two accused persons will be produced in the SDJM court of Boudh.
The live Pangolins were handed over to Boudh DFO for safe custody.
The Indian pangolin (Maniscrassicaudata), also called thick-tailed pangolin is a solitary, shy, slow-moving, nocturnal mammal. It is a schedule-I protected animal under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Schedule I provides absolute protection – offences under these are prescribed for the highest penalties.
UNI