Two held for killing Indian Pangolin in MP

Two persons were arrested for allegedly killing an endangered Indian Pangolin at a village located in the buffer zone of Pench National Park near here, a forest official said today.
"Vinod Madavi (25) and Sadaram Bhalawi (31) of Kharhai village were arrested yesterday for allegedly killing and possessing scales of a Pangolin. Two more persons involved are also being traced out," Park Assistant Conservator of Forest K S Senger said.
The accused were nabbed while they were cooking meat of the Pangolin after removing its scales, he said.
Pangolin scales fetch huge price in the international market as it is used as an aphrodisiac.

Investigators have seized the axe used to kill pangolin from the two men, the officer said, adding that they are interrogating with the duo thoroughly to find out if they are involved with a gang of poachers.
Special Task Force of Forest department is reaching here from Bhopal to quiz the two accused, who claimed that they killed the animal for its meat.
In May 2015, Forest department officials had busted an inter-state gang allegedly involved in smuggling the scales of endangered animal, Indian Pangolin, to China.
Then the 13 accused of the gang had told police that they used to purchase an Indian Pangolin at Rs 500 to 1,500 per kg from poachers in Chhindwara and Balaghat districts of the state besides Chhattisgarh.