Baripada, Jul 15: In a significant bust against illegal wildlife trafficking, officials from the Gurguria Wildlife Range under Similipal North Division arrested two wildlife traffickers who were caught red-handed transporting common hill myna chicks. The arrest took place on the Gurguria-Jashipur main road, near Badsole village in Mayurbhanj district.
Acting on confidential intelligence, a specialized team was quickly assembled and sent to intercept the suspects. The operation, executed with precision, led to the recovery of two live hill myna chicks. The birds, which are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, were found in a bag on a motorcycle, in clear violation of the law.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mana Dehuri (40) from Matiagarh and Atul Chandra Behera (56) from Gurguria, both residents within Jashipur police jurisdiction. After being interrogated, the suspects were presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Baripada on Sunday and were subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
Deputy Director of Similipal North Division, Sai Kiran, confirmed the arrests and underscored that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found guilty of exploiting or trafficking wildlife species under protection. The common hill myna, known for its remarkable ability to mimic human speech, is a Schedule I species, which grants it the highest level of legal protection.
Forest officials have heightened vigilance in and around the Similipal area, which remains a hotspot for illegal bird and animal trafficking, due to its rich biodiversity. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the accused are linked to a larger wildlife smuggling network.
