Uttarakhand / Haldwani : 5 smugglers arrested with scale of pangolin, used to hunt in Corbett

The team of Security Force (SOG) of Terai Central Forest Division has arrested 5 accused along with scale (cover) of Banned Wildlife Pangolin. 13 kg 170 grams of skins have been recovered from their possession. The value of recovered pangolin skin is said to be more than 6 lakhs. The accused told during interrogation that they had hunted the banned pangolin from Corbett area.

Kailash Chand Tiwari, SOG in-charge of Terai Central Forest Division, said that on the information of the informer, the forest department team conducted a checking campaign on Bhakra bridge of Haldwani. During this, the police arrested bike riders Ganpat Singh and Radha Krishna. During the search, two and a half kg of banned pangolin skin was recovered from them. During interrogation, it was told that three of his other associates are keeping large quantities of pangolin scales. 5 smugglers arrested with pangolin scales.

After which a team was sent to Roorkee Kaliyar on the instructions of DFO Terai Central Forest Vaibhav Kumar Singh. Where the team recovered 10 kg 670 grams and silk from the three accused. When all the accused were interrogated, it was found that they had hunted the banned pangolin from the Corbett area.

Among the arrested accused are Radha Krishna and Satbir, residents of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. While Ganpat is a resident of Jaspur in Uttarakhand, Pawan Kumar is a resident of Bijnor and Om Prakash Roorkee Kaliyar. During interrogation, the accused told that all the people are members of the gang. Om Prakash is the main leader of the gang, which carries out smuggling of wildlife. Action is being taken against the accused to send a case under the Forest Act to jail.