Chhattisgarh : In major hunting of the poachers, the Chhattisgarh forest department has seized 19 kg Pangolin scales, Six leopard nails and four star tortoises. On charges of smuggling in four seperate incidents, the forest police have arrested five persons in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh.
‘On receiving information from the reliable sources that some smugglers are engaged in selling the parts of animals, a team of the forest personnel and police arrest two men at Jagdalpur, situated at 300 km away from capital city Raipur on February 11’ said Chief conservator of forests (Jagdalpur circle) Mohmmad Shahid.
The Pangolin scales weighing 12 kilograms were recovered from the two smugglers and arrested. On the basis of information provided by them, the forest personnel conducted raids at two seperate places and recovered 6.9 kg Pangolin scales nad six nails of leopard and four star tortoises seized from Dantewada district of region and one person each was arrested in three raids said CCF.
Leopard and pangolin are the protected species under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 while star tortoises fall under Schedule IV.
picture credit: ANI
