Poacher arrested with live pangolin from Bastar

Staff Reporter :

Continuing Operation Wildnet-III, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Central Region Jabalpur in association with Bastar Forest team nabbed a poacher and rescued a live pangolin from his possession at Dhanpuji village in Bastar (Chhattisgarh), on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Damru Bhatra, son of Lakhman Bhatra, a resident of Belgaon village in Koraput district in Odisha. Under the direction of Abhijit Roy Choudhary, Deputy Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Central Region Jabalpur a special campaign named Wildnet-III has been started to maintain a vigilant check on a racket involved in illegal wildlife trade. WCCB, Central Region, Inspector Devendra Singh informed that during the special campaign named Wildnet-III WCCB Jabalpur received information about a suspected man who was trying to sell a live pangolin.

Taking prompt action on the information, WCCB Jabalpur team established contact with Bastar Forest Department and started a secret search for suspected man. Continuing the search, team succeeded in trapping the suspected man named Damru Bhatra in Machkot Range on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. In his search, team rescued a live pangolin from the accused. The accused was apprehended with active efforts of WCCB Central Region Jabalpur, Inspector, Devendra Singh Rathore, Rajeev Dixit and Vipin Chaturvedi with the help of Chhattisgarh Forest Department.