Helpline number released to curb wildlife crime in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of rampant poaching in Odisha, the Crime Branch STF has released a helpline number to curb wildlife crime in the State.

One can approach the Crime Branch STF to share information related to wildlife crime on mobile number 9439263646.

The name of informers would be kept secret. The concerned informer would be rewarded in case of seizure or arrest based on the specific information, the Crime Branch STF said in a release today.

The STF is the specialised wing of Odisha Police to curb organised crime in the State. As the wildlife crimes remain in focus for the STF, it released a mobile number seeking information from public to neutralize illegal wildlife trade.

Yesterday, the STF team had seized a leopard skin and apprehended two persons during a raid at Bolagarh in Khordha district.

In the drive against wildlife criminals and poachers, the STF has seized as many as 12 leopard skins, 6 elephant tusks, 2 deer skins, 2 pangolins and pangolin scales weighing at 5 kg and arrested 24 persons and registered 13 cases against wildlife criminals during last one year.