Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 13
Three persons were arrested by the Wokha police in connection to killing of protected wildlife. According to the Wokha police, the accused, whose identities were not revealed, were arrested on June 13 for the alleged killing a Great Hornbill, a bird species listed as “Vulnerable” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) “Red List of Threatened Species.”
The date of killing was still not ascertained, while, as per preliminary inquiry, it happened in Bhandari village. The Wildlife division came to know of it on June 6 following which a complaint was filed. The video showing villagers killing the bird and taking its tail feathers began circulating on social media about 1-2 days back.
The three accused persons were arrested from Bhandari village, based on a complaint filed by the Department of Forests & Wildlife, and were taken to the district headquarters.
Out of the three, one was said to be the hunter, the second was said to be the one seen in the video clipping clubbing the endangered bird. The third one was said to be not involved but the bird allegedly fell on the roof of his house.
The Wokha police informed that the case will now be handled by the Wildlife Division.
