Jagraon: Reels lead officials to rescue protected animals from village

Videos posted on social media led wildlife officials to a village near Jagraon, where a joint team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Punjab Police allegedly found protected wild animals being kept illegally at a house.

The raid was conducted at Sekhdaun village after

the Wildlife Department received information that an Instagram user was regularly uploading reels featuring wild animals. The officials said the videos prompted an inquiry, following which a complaint was submitted to the police.

During the search of the house, the joint team recovered two black kites and a jackal, which were allegedly being kept without permission. The animals were rescued and taken into custody of the Forest and Wildlife Department for further care and examination.

The police said the operation was carried out on the directions of the Northern Region Sub-Regional Office of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in Amritsar. Officials from the Wildlife Department and Sadar police station took part in the raid.

According to the police, Narinder Singh, an official with the Ludhiana Wildlife Range, had submitted a complaint after noticing videos on the suspect’s Instagram account in which protected wildlife was allegedly being displayed. The department suspected that the animals shown in the videos were being kept in illegal captivity.

ASI Rakesh Kumar of the Sadar police station said the social media posts became an important source of evidence during the probe. He said the police werenow trying to ascertain how the accused obtained the animals, how long they had been kept on the premises and whether more wildlife-related offences were committed.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against Ranjit Singh Rana under relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Further probe is on.

The wildlife officials said protected animals could not be captured, kept or displayed without legal authorisation. They urged people not to use wild animals for making social media content, warning that violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act would invite strict action.