Arrest of Hunting Party in Murshidabad

12 March 2023

Team HEAL, as part of their ongoing project with WTI to prevent hunting of migratory birds in Murshidabad district, has been conducting routine surveys of wetlands and adjacent areas close to human settlements.

During one such survey at Bilkurul Beel on 12 March 2023, our local volunteer Kankan Burman spotted a group of hunters, who were quickly fleeing the spot for the nearby Tenya station in Bharatpur I block.

Kankan, along with members Santanu Das and Soumyadip Mondal, followed the hunting party of nine to the railway station and managed to detain them until the Police and Forest officials arrived at about 10.30 pm.

The hunting group who were detained by HEAL members, and later arrested. INSET: Carcasses of the 2 jungle cats and 1 small Indian civet

Carcasses of two jungle cats and a small Indian civet which had been brutally bludgeoned to death, were found in their possession. The nine hunters were immediately taken into custody and produced before the court the next day. Their bail plea was rejected and they were remanded to a 14 day judicial custody.

90% of India’s wildlife lives outside the Protected Area network and is vulnerable to wildlife crime. Active vigilance in such areas is the key to bring hunting and poaching incidents to light and facilitate strict enforcement actions against perpetrators.