Udala (Mayurbhanj): Acting on a tip-off, The Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch Saturday arrested four persons from Udala area here in connection with smuggling pangolin scales from the state to other countries.
On receiving intelligence input by SP, STF, CID, Crime Branch, Dr. Satyajit Naik, a team of STF, Bhubaneswar under the leadership of Bilasini Nayak, Deputy SP, Inspector Pragyan jena SI. Trupti, Nalinikant and other officials rushed to a remote village namely Ambadiha under the jurisdiction of Udala police station in Mayurbhanj district last night and recovered two rare species of live Pangolins, weighing about 18 kilograms from the illegal possession the four accused while they were making a deal with the procurer at a cost of Rs. 22 lakhs.
They have been identified as Balia Andhara Judia of Ambadiah colony, Udala, Debendra Das of manudiha, Bata, Janmenjay Naik of Ambadali and Raghunath Behera of Chakradhapur, Kaptipada.
Earlier, the STF had discovered that a chain of Pangolin trade originated from Odisha and was routed through West Bengal, Mizoram and Assam and ended in Myanmar and China.
Pangolin is a Schedule I animal and is one of the most trafficked animals in the world. While one pangolin scales are sold at a price of Rs 12,000 in Odisha, its value in international markets increases significantly.
While the Chinese pangolin, mostly found in northeast India, has been listed as “critically endangered” by the UN affiliated International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, the Indian pangolin has been listed as “endangered”, the police officer said.
Pangolins are often termed as the world’s most trafficked mammal. Pangolin scales are used in traditional Asian medicine, particularly in China and Vietnam.
The animal’s scales are made of keratin, the same material that makes human fingernails and hair, and they have no proven medicinal value. Pangolin meat is also considered to be a delicacy in some countries, and the scales are also used as jewellery and decorations for rituals.
A case has been registered against them under Sec. 51 of Wildlife Protection Act.
The accused persons are under interrogation to collect more clues as to ascertain the involvement of other accused persons including their previous antecedents, their linkage with other accused persons across the state and nation as well.
The accused persons will be forwarded after formalities and if necessary they will be brought under Police remand for interrogation to unearth clues on international ramification, said officials.
PNN
