Raipur. Four alleged smugglers have been arrested for smuggling protected wildlife pangolins in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. Officials gave this information on Monday. Officials said that the forest department in Bastar forest division area got information that some smugglers were smuggling wildlife pangolins. After the information, the forest department team started searching the vehicles.
He said that when the team was searching on the Karpavand-Kolawal road in the district, a pangolin which was being carried hidden in a jute bag on a motorcycle was recovered. Officials said that the department has arrested four accused on the charges of pangolin smuggling. The four persons had come to Chhattisgarh from the neighboring state of Odisha to sell wild animals and were looking for a customer.
He told that the forest department officials have taken the pangolin into safe custody. Two motorcycles have been recovered from the accused. Officials said that action has been taken against the accused under various sections of the Indian Forest Act 1927 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972. He said that the wild animal Pangolin is included in the first schedule under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Under this, killing and buying it is a punishable offence.