Agartala: Tripura Forest Department, with assistance from local NGO “Go Green Help Stray Animals,” apprehended two men in Kailashahar on charges of hunting Indian Bullfrogs, a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Acting on a tip-off late on May 16, Range Officer and Assistant Wildlife Warden Subhankar Biswas led a team comprising forest officials and police from Kailashahar Police Station. The raid was conducted near the Gournagar Gram Panchayat, close to the District Magistrate’s office.
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Authorities caught two suspects, identified as Venzamina Darlong and Sumanta Tripura from Chailapi village in Unakoti, red-handed, while the others involved in the hunting managed to flee.
They recovered a total of 77 Indian Bullfrogs from the suspects’ possession, 61 of which were already dead. They rescued sixteen frogs alive and later released them into a water body as per court orders.
The law enforcement agencies also impounded a scooter bearing registration number TR02J9726 used in the act.
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The arrested duo was taken to Kailashahar Police Station, and a case was filed in the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court the following day.
The court granted conditional bail and instructed the accused to reappear on June 10.
Wildlife officials believe the hunters targeted the frogs for illegal consumption and possibly trade. Since Indian Bullfrogs are listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, the law punishes their hunting and possession as an offence.
Officials credited the timely intervention by the NGO and public cooperation in curbing illegal wildlife activity in the region.