Pangolin rescued from govt building in Odisha’s Nuapada, 3 arrested

Varun Jain, dy director of Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, said the operation was carried out by a joint team of the tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh and Khariar forest division in Odisha

Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 19:57:43 IST

By Ritesh Mishra, RAIPUR

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An endangered pangolin has been rescued from a government building in Odisha’s Naupada district where wildlife traffickers had allegedly hidden the animal while searching for a buyer, a Chhattisgarh forest official said on Monday.

Three persons have also been arrested. They have been identified as Roshan Thakur, 31, of Pitapara village in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh, and Odisha residents Balakrishna Hati, 30, and Sonu Hati, 40, both from Palama village in Nuapada district.

Pangolins are illegally hunted for their meat and keratin scales—the animal’s distinctive armour-like covering—which are falsely believed to possess medicinal properties in traditional medicine markets.

Varun Jain, deputy director of Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, said the rescue operation was carried out by a joint team of the tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh and Khariar forest division in Odisha.

“We received confidential information that a pangolin had been captured and was being kept for sale. Our teams immediately coordinated with the Khariar forest division and conducted the operation,” Jain said.

Officials said the pangolin, weighing about 7kg, had been caught on August 9. The suspects were looking for a buyer and in the interim, were using a structure built for an irrigation project as a safe house to hide their catch.

The rescued pangolin was placed under the care of a veterinary doctor in Khariar.

The hunters who caught the pangolin are still on the run. A case has been registered under various provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The operation was conducted as part of efforts to protect the wildlife corridor connecting the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh with the Sonabeda Sanctuary in Odisha.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Wildlife Protection Act

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