Five persons have been awarded rigorous imprisonment of seven years by a lower court of Chirang district for hunting protected species including the mongoose, hares and birds inside the UNESCO heritage site, Manas National Park. They have also been slapped a fine of Rs. 50,000.
According toreports, the court of additional session's judge, Bijni in Western Assam'sChirang district pronounced judgment against the convicts Somnath Kisku andDhojen Tudu belonging to Santhal community who still consider hunting atradition.
Both Somnathand Dhojen have been arrested on February 2017 by the forest personnel inPanbari Tiger Project Range of the national park while they were returning withbodies of the wildlife species.
Somnath andDhojen have been convicted under Section 51 (1) of Wildlife (Protection) Act1972 for hunting mongoose, dove, bulbul and a barbet. The species of mongoosefound in India are protected under Schedule II (Part II) of the Wildlife(Protection) Act, 1972 and the birds fall under Schedule IV which prohibits alltrade of animals listed in it.
The otherthree namely Jay Ram Ray, Shubu Ram Ray and Roben Boro were also convicted andhas been awarded the same punishment in two different cases registered againstthem in 2018 for poaching deers inside the national park.
