Pangolin poaching racket busted in Telangana; 10 held

HYDERABAD: Forest officials on Tuesday busted an organised pangolin poaching and smuggling racket after receiving a tip-off from reliable sources about the ongoing trade in Telangana.
After a month-long investigation into the crime, forest personnel seized one live pangolin, a swift car and motorcycles, mobile phones and detained 10 accused hailing from Mancherial and Asifabad districts of Telangana.
A 20 member team of the forest department headed by district forest officials of Mancherial formed teams to investigate organized wildlife crime.
Pangolins fall under the list of critically endangered as per appendix – 1 of CITES and are also listed under Schedule – 1 in Wildlife Protection Act.
Hunting and trading of pangolin is a serious offence and punishable with minimum punishment of seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh.
The accused are arrested and produced before the judicial first-class magistrate of Sirpur.
“The poaching of pangolins is being practised due to some superstitious beliefs and the myth that the animal’s body parts can be used for medicinal purposes. All those who believe in such superstitions or myths should remember that pangolin meat or their body parts do not carry any medicinal value or commercial value,” a senior forest official told TOI.
The officials further appealed to the general public that they should not fall prey to the said vicious circle of offering money for this animal which ultimately leads to arrest and punishment of innocent villagers who directly or indirectly involve themselves or help the persons that operate these wildlife crime.