Wildlife officials raid stalls at IITF, one held

The 14-day fair features various pavilions set up by traders from within the country and abroad.

The raids were conducted after the officials received complaints that many stalls were trading in or using products made from endangered animals.

The trader, Ranjeet Kumar Dutta, was arrested from the West Bengal pavilion and 19 shells — two of them belonging to a nearly extinct class of sea snails, classified under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act — were seized from him.

Dutta has been remanded in judicial custody by the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate G N Pandey.

In the raid at the Orissa pavilion, officials seized 16 paintbrushes made of Mongoose hair from an artist who was selling paintings made using such brushes.