Four arrested for smuggling wildlife parts in Sindhudurg

Kolhapur: The Sindhudurg local crime branch (LCB) arrested four people and sezied rare pangolin scales, sambar horns and 2 two-wheelers, collectively worth Rs 92 lakh, at Anavkarwadi area of Ranbambuli village on Friday.

A case was registered at Sindhudurg Police Station under Sections 9, 44, 49 (B), 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Section 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The accused arrested in this smuggling case are Ganesh Pradeep Shirke (30), Vithoba Bhagwan Bawlekar (82), Shankar Yashwant Tarapure (31), Kalidas Dattatray Warang (55), all hailing from Sindhudurg district.

Pravin Kolhe, Police Inspector, Local Crime Branch, said, “The LCB received confidential information about illegal trade in wildlife parts in the Ranbambuli area. Accordingly, we laid a trap and conducted a raid at around 11:40 am on Friday. In this operation, 1.8 kg of Indian pangolin scales and two sambar horns were seized. Further investigation is ongoing to find out their other accomplices and to investigate the extent to which the gang involved in wildlife crime has spread.“

This action was taken as per the guidance of Superintendent of Police Mohan Dahikar, Additional Superintendent of Police Nayomi Satam, LCB Police Inspector Praveen Kolhe, and was executed by Police Sub-Inspector Anil Hadal, Assistant Police Sub-Inspectors Suresh Rathod, Dominic D’Souza, and other staff.