The Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch on Friday arrested two persons for illegal possession and transportation of a live pangolin near Khordha town.
On the basis of inputs, the STF team conducted a raid on the service road of NH-16 between Gurujanga and Pitapalli and caught the two people red-handed with a live pangolin. The arrested were identified as Kailash Khosala, a resident of Tujung in Kalahandi district, and Chaitanya Bhatra of Palapur in Nabarangpur.The STF team also seized a Tata Indigo car and incriminating materials.During interrogation, the accused duo could not produce any valid documents in support of the possession of the live mammal, for which they were arrested, police said.
The duo have booked under Sections of 379/411/120(3) of the IPC and Section 51 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1973.
Police sources said that the live pangolin will be handed over to DFO, Khordha Wild Life Warden for safe custody. In last one year, STF, the specialised wing of Odisha Police set up to combat organised crimes, has seized as many as 16 leopard hides, nine elephant tusks, two deer skins, five live pangolins, and 15 kg pangolin scales and held 35 wildlife smugglers in various cases.