Bhubaneswar, May 16 -- Odisha's Forest Department arrested four persons and seized elephant tusks and pangolin scales during an anti-wildlife trafficking operation in the Sadar forest division of Keonjhar district on Friday, officials said.
They said the operation gained momentum after the interrogation of one of the accused, Sunil Soren of Amrutpada village under Sadar police station limits. Based on information provided by him, forest personnel raided his residence on Friday and recovered nearly one kilogram of pangolin scales allegedly hidden for illegal trade.
During questioning, Sunil confessed to killing a pangolin inside a forest near Nayagarh village, consuming its meat and storing the scales for sale.
In connection with the ivor...