Balasore, Sept 12: The investigation into the recovery of five orangutan cubs from a forested area in Bhograi, Balasore, has taken a new turn, with a suspected ₹1 crore deal at a hotel in Digha emerging as a major lead for investigators.
According to sources, a deal had allegedly been struck at a hotel in Digha to sell the rare orangutan cubs to an influential person from Balasore. Sources claimed that the price discussed was reportedly around ₹1 crore for a single orangutan cub, instead of the earlier figure of ₹25 lakh.
The suspected deal was allegedly being facilitated by a Bengali father-son duo. However, the transaction reportedly failed amid fears that the Forest Department could detect the illegal wildlife movement. The cubs were subsequently allegedly abandoned in a casuarina forest in Bhograi.
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Acting on the emerging leads, the Crime Branch Special Task Force (STF) reportedly searched a hotel in New Digha and picked up three persons for questioning. They are being interrogated to establish their alleged links with the suspected wildlife trafficking network.
CCTV Trail of Black Thar
Investigators are now closely examining the movements of a black Thar, reportedly linked to the Bengali father-son duo.
CCTV footage from a shop in New Digha reportedly showed the black Thar travelling at around 10.56 pm on Monday, followed by a white car. The two vehicles allegedly left the main road and moved through smaller lanes.
Another CCTV camera installed at a fertiliser shop reportedly captured the Thar reaching the orangutan rescue site in Bhograi at around 11.35 pm. The vehicle was allegedly seen returning after approximately 12 minutes.
Also Read: Orangutans in Odisha's forest: Black Thar spotted on CCTV; STF scans airports, railway stations & waterways
The distance between Digha and Badapahiri is around 22 km, and investigators suspect that the vehicle covered the distance in roughly half an hour.
Six Suspected Traffickers Stayed at Hotel
Sources said six suspected traffickers had stayed at the hotel. While the names of three persons were reportedly entered in the hotel register, there was no address or other identifying information available for the remaining three.
Of the three persons picked up by the STF, one is reportedly the driver of the black Thar, according to sources.
Meanwhile, the Bengali father-son duo reportedly travelled to Kolkata. Multiple STF teams have been searching for them, including at their residence in Howrah, but they could not be traced.
Sources also said the influential person from Balasore allegedly linked to the proposed purchase did not visit the hotel on the day of the incident.
Rescue Site Under 24-Hour Watch
The orangutan rescue site in Bhograi remains under 24-hour security by the local Forest Department. The area has been barricaded and covered with protective netting, while a “No Entry” notice has been put up.
No investigating officer reportedly visited the site today, though security arrangements have remained in place.
Orangutans Stable at Nandankanan
PCCF (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha said the health condition of the five orangutans at Nandankanan Zoological Park was stable.
He said DNA tests would be conducted and that authorities were currently focusing on helping the animals adapt to the local climate.
A decision will later be taken on whether the orangutans should be sent to Indonesia or retained at Nandankanan for visitors.
Also Read: DNA test, Indonesia link & Assam precedent: Where will the orangutan cubs go next?
Meanwhile, the Balasore Forest Division and STF are continuing the probe to trace the source and wider network allegedly involved in the suspected wildlife trafficking racket.
The alleged Digha hotel deal and the CCTV trail of the black Thar have now become important leads as investigators work to unravel how the five rare orangutan cubs reached Odisha.
