The Athagarh forests have earned a dubious reputation for death of wild animals in rising number.
While elephant deaths due to various reasons are common, in the latest case on September 15 the carcass of a 10-year-old leopard was found in the forests, which has caused concerns among the environmentalists and animal lovers.
Shockingly, in most of the animal death cases, poaching has been a prime cause. As per allegations, some unscrupulous forest officials in connivance with poachers and mafias have turned the forest quite vulnerable. Wild animals are finding themselves increasingly unsafe due to large scale felling of trees.
It may be noted that recently, the news of pangolin smuggling to foreign countries from Athagarh forest through international mafias had come to the fore. The Gurudijhatia police had arrested two pangolin catchers near the jungle.
It is strange to find that even if smuggling has international links, the State Government has been taking the case very lightly. As per information, it is revealed that the scale of pangolins is used for bulletproof jackets and different high priced medicines. Its flesh also is used for medicines. Meanwhile, pangolin lovers have demanded a Crime Branch or CBI probe into the incidence.
In the latest development, a team of the Wildlife Crime Control Board reached here on Thursday to investigate the international smuggling of pangolins. Getting information from the DFO of Athagarh, the team arrived and met ACF RK Das, who intimated the team on the issue.
Meanwhile, Forest Department sleuths were successful in arresting at least 10 accused persons in connection with the transportation of pangolins to international markets. The DFO moved the SDJM here to bring all the accused persons who are in jail custody on seven days of remand for interrogation.