Three persons were arrested for allegedly smuggling a pangolin in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, forest officials said on Thursday.
“Following a precise tip-off that smugglers are looking for a customer to sell a pangolin, a forest department team swung into action and launched an operation to nab the accused persons”, said a forest officer.
The officer further informed that acting on the input, the team intercepted three persons on a motorcycle and rescued the pangolin from them.
The forest officials nabbed three persons, identified as Ashok Potai, Naresh Meshram and Kalchu, all natives of Maharashtra.
The rescued pangolin weighed around 11 kilograms and its health condition was also fine.
The officer informed that the accused persons were booked under the relevant sections Wildlife Act and further probe is underway.