ADILABAD: Forest officials rescued an endangered pangolin and arrested three poachers from Arjuni village in Gadiguda mandal on Tuesday. The accused were identified as Pendur Jugnath, Kinaka Shankar and Pendur Mahesh.
In-charge District Forest Officer Revanth Chandra said they received information on Sunday about a pangolin being trapped and readied for sale. Acting on a tip-off, task force and anti-poaching teams laid a trap posing as buyers offering `5 lakh.
Believing the offer, the accused came forward and were caught red-handed. The trio had erected electric fencing on their ROFR patta land in Arjuni village, where the pangolin was trapped. Two others involved in the offence managed to escape and will be arrested soon.
The rescued pangolin, valued at around `20 lakh in the international black market, was later released into the forest. A case has been filed.