Live pangolin rescued in Koraput, 2 wildlife smugglers held

Acting on a tip-off, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police rescued a live pangolin from Kodupadar square under Koraput’s Boipariguda block on Friday.

The pangolin is estimated to be approximately 10 kg.

The STF has also arrested two wildlife smugglers in this connection.

The accused have been identified as Durjya Matpadia and Kartik Harijan.

Briefing the press about the matter, STF SP, KK Panigrahi said, “We received information about a wildlife deal scheduled to take place in Boipariguda area. So we sent a team to Kodupadar square on Jeypore-Boipariguda bypass where they apprehended two persons with a live pangolin in a gunny bag.”

Earlier in July, the Forest Department officials had seized a live pangolin from the possession of wildlife smugglers on the Nabarangpur-Kusumi road under Raighar Forest Range. The officials arrested a wildlife smuggler from Dumaguda village under Koraput’s Dasamantapur block. The officials intercepted a bike following a tip-off from reliable sources that a pangolin was being smuggled to the neighbouring State.