Bhubaneswar, Oct. 18 -- Subarnapur: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police Crime Branch busted a pangolin smuggling racket and rescued a pangolin from Mahanadi Bridge near Rajakothi here in the district on Friday and arrested two persons for possessing the animal illegally.

Both the smugglers have been identified as Somnath Bag and Marsalan Bhengera of Ulunda under this district.

According to sources, a team of the Crime Branch rescued the animal from the smugglers while they were planning to sell it outside the state. The rescued animal was later handed over to Sonepur Forest Division.

The STF team also seized pangolin scales weighing 5 kg 65 gram from their possession. A case has been registered in this matter under the Wildli...