Acting on a tip off, Forest officials from Sinapali Forest Range with the help of police conducted a raid on Sunday afternoon at Mahulpada village under Sinapali police station limits while the accused were involved in a deal to sell a live pangolin. The officials rescued the pangolin arrested the accused trio.
The officials also seized a four-wheeler, mobile phones and other incriminating materials from the possession of the accused persons.
During the last one year, over a dozen of live pangolins and around 16 kg of pangolin scales have been seized from different places in Odisha and several wildlife criminals involved in the illegal trade have been arrested, official sources said.