Baripada: Baripada forest department officials rescued a pangolin and arrested four persons for attempting to smuggle the endangered animal Tuesday. The accused were nabbed following a raid near Kuliana area under Baripada forest range.
The accused have been identified as Pradeep Kumar Mahakur, Sanat Kumar Mohanta, Krushna Chandra Hansda, and Premkhel Murmu, the forest department said.
According to forest officials, acting on a tip-off, a team of department personnel led by Baripada ranger Laxmidhar Behera conducted raids following which the animal was rescued. It weighed 18 kilograms at the time of rescue.
Two motorcycles have been seized from their possession.
Earlier October 28, a major wildlife racket was busted in Boudh district where forest officials from Baripada rescued a pangolin from Putana reserve forest in that district.
According to forest officials, acting on a tip-off about the smuggling of the pangolin, a team of forest department personnel led by Boudh ranger Ashish Kanhar conducted raids following which they rescued the scaly animal. It weighed 12 kilograms.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the smugglers had hidden the pangolin in the forest area in order to avoid detection by forest department officials. The animal was likely to be transported to a neighboring state.
PNN