STF freed pangolin from the clutches of hunter, accused arrested

Bhubaneswar. The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch rescued a live pangolin from the clutches of a poacher after a raid at Ambabhona in Bargarh district on Monday evening. Police have identified the hunter as Jagdish Minj (41), resident of Dunguri village. STF officials, acting on a tip-off, conducted the raid with the help of forest officials from Bargarh Forest Division near Budhipalli Chak in Ambabhona on Monday evening.

During this, the team arrested Jagdish, who was waiting for a customer to deal in pangolins. The STF team recovered a live pangolin along with other incriminating material from the possession of the accused. The accused could not produce any document as to by what authority he had the pangolin. He was captured soon after. The pangolin has been handed over to the Forest Range Officer of Bhatali in Bargarh district for safe custody.