Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Forest Department has intensified efforts to conserve and protect wildlife, in the due course, it successfully busted a wildlife smuggling racket, dismantled it and rescued an endangered pangolin.
In a recent operation led by Chief Conservator of Forests Jagdalpur, R.C. Dugga, and Divisional Forest Officer of Bastar, Uttam Kumar Gupta, forest officials apprehended four individuals attempting to smuggle a live pangolin (locally known as Sal Khapri).
The suspects were caught with the animal concealed in a jute bag while traveling on two motorcycles along Kolawal Road. They were reportedly coming from Odisha to Chhattisgarh in search of buyers for the pangolin.
The forest department took the pangolin into safe custody, and the four accused, along with their motorcycles, were taken to the Karpawand Forest Range Office. Legal action has been initiated against them under the Indian Forest Act of 1927 and the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
The Rapid Rescue Team (RRT) of the Jagdalpur Forest Circle, dedicated to protecting endangered wildlife, has been actively working to prevent the smuggling of wild animals by establishing an information network throughout the region.
The pangolin, listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, is a highly protected species. Killing, buying, or selling this animal is a punishable offense under Indian law.
