A court in Alipurduar has delivered a strong message against wildlife crime by convicting nine individuals across four separate cases. The judicial body has handed down significant penalties, sentencing each convicted person to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000 in each case. This decisive action underscores the serious legal consequences for poaching and illegal wildlife trade in the region.
Details of the Four Wildlife Crime Cases
The convictions stem from investigations into different types of wildlife offenses. In the first case, the court found three men—Ejajul Hoque, Sekendar Ali, and Babla Barman—guilty of the illegal possession and attempted trade of hog deer antlers. Hog deer is a protected species under Indian wildlife laws, making any trade in its body parts a serious offense.
The second case involved the trafficking of reptiles. Manik Hussain Sarkar, Manirul Hoque, and Asraf Hossain were convicted for their involvement in the illegal trafficking of tokay geckos. These geckos are often targeted by wildlife smugglers due to demand in certain illegal markets, falsely believed to have medicinal properties.
Poaching and Pangolin Trafficking
In a third case, the court convicted Kailash Baraik for the poaching and possession of barking deer meat and antlers. The barking deer, or muntjac, is another protected species whose population is threatened by such illegal activities.
The final case saw the conviction of Bikash Barman and Arup Gupta for a particularly egregious crime: the illegal trafficking of a live pangolin. Pangolins are among the world's most trafficked mammals and are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, affording them the highest level of protection. Their scales are illegally sought after in traditional medicine markets, and their meat is considered a delicacy in some regions, driving them toward extinction.
A Strong Judicial Stand Against Wildlife Crime
The consistent sentencing across all four cases—three years imprisonment and a substantial fine—highlights the judiciary's firm stance. This ruling serves as a potent deterrent, signaling that wildlife crimes will be met with severe punishment. The enforcement of such laws is critical for the conservation of India's rich but vulnerable biodiversity, especially in ecologically sensitive zones like Alipurduar in West Bengal.
These convictions are a result of collaborative efforts between forest department officials, wildlife crime control authorities, and the judicial system. They represent a significant win in the ongoing battle against the illegal wildlife trade, which is a major threat to endangered species not just in India, but globally. The successful prosecution of these cases is expected to bolster ongoing conservation efforts and encourage stricter vigilance against poaching networks operating in the region.
