Two held with Pangolin scales worth Rs 5 lakh
Don't Miss
The duo were produced at a local court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days
|
| The pangolin scales seized in Siliguri on Wednesday. : Picture by Passang Yolmo |
TT Correspondent | Siliguri | 04.11.21: Foresters of Baikunthapur forest division arrested two suspected smugglers and recovered pangolin scales, estimated at Rs 5 lakh, from them at Matigara near the Balason river bridge here on Tuesday.
Sanjay Dutta, the range officer of Sarugara Range of Baikunthapur, said they got a tip off that four persons were planning to smuggle pangolin scales from Assam to Nepal through Siliguri. “We spotted the quartet on two motorbikes. As we approached them, two of them escaped but we managed to nab the other two and recovered five kilos of pangolin scales packed in a bag from them,” said Dutta.
The arrested duo Soumen Saha and Partha Das, both residents of Mohitnagar in Jalpaiguri district have been booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. On Wednesday, the duo were produced at a local court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days, sources said.
Senior forest officials said that pangolin is listed as a critically endangered species under International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red data book and is also a schedule-I animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
The animal’s meat is largely consumed in China and Vietnam and its scales are used in traditional medicines. A kilo of scale costs around Rs 1 lakh, the sources said.
In another incident, New Jalpaiguri police seized around 210 kilos of cannabis estimated at Rs 30 lakh from Fulbari on Tuesday. Dilip Barman and Kanak Barman, both residents of Sahebganj, Cooch Behar, have been arrested.
Also, Bagdogra police busted an illegal gambling den and arrested 12 persons with around Rs 2.30 lakh on Wednesday.
In Malda, police have seized crackers worth Rs 8.75 lakh in the past 24 hours. Four persons have been arrested so far.
(https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/two-held-with-pangolin-scales-worth-rs-5-lakh/cid/1837213)
0 Response to " Two held with Pangolin scales worth Rs 5 lakh"
Post a Comment
Disclaimer Note:
The views expressed in the articles published here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or perspective of Kalimpong News or KalimNews. Kalimpong News and KalimNews disclaim all liability for the published or posted articles, news, and information and assume no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the content.
Kalimpong News is a non-profit online news platform managed by KalimNews and operated under the Kalimpong Press Club.
Comment Policy:
We encourage respectful and constructive discussions. Please ensure decency while commenting and register with your email ID to participate.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.