The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police Saturday intercepted an interstate wildlife trafficking operation near Maa Latabhuasuni Temple on Pitapalli-Chandaka Road, under the Info Vally Police Station jurisdiction in Bhubaneswar.
Acting on intelligence, the STF apprehended two suspects, Gakul Gupta (37) from Abankela, Sundargarh, and Tejram Meher (34) from Sagarpalli, Jharsuguda, who were illegally transporting a live pangolin weighing 14.1 kilograms. Also, mobile phones and cash were seized from the accused.
The STF registered a case (No. 14, dated July 19, 2025) under sections 303(2), 317(2), and 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The accused were arrested and presented before the Court of the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) in Bhubaneswar.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities probe potential links to broader trafficking networks.
Pangolins, critically endangered and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, are among the most trafficked mammals globally due to demand for their scales and meat in illegal markets.
