A team from the Forest Department in the East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand arrested four individuals involved in the smuggling of rare wildlife. The suspects are accused of trafficking pangolins. Authorities seized four pangolins, each weighing 20 kilograms, estimated to be worth lakhs of rupees in the international market. The individuals, identified as Sadhu Kalundia, Khela Murmu, Piru Bandra, and Guru Das, were apprehended in connection with the illegal wildlife trade. The group, hailing from various villages in the region, was involved in hunting rare wildlife.
Sadhu Kalundia, a resident of Karlabeda Tola, was found to be harboring the pangolins. He received ₹500 per day for keeping the animals hidden. The smugglers did not disclose the actual value of the pangolins to him, but promised him a share of the profits upon their sale. The four pangolins recovered are valued at approximately ₹70 lakhs.
Investigations revealed that a larger network was behind the smuggling operation, targeting the rare wildlife of the area. The Forest Department has arrested the four individuals and initiated further investigations into the case.