PATNA: Police and the Forest Department have arrested the alleged main accused in the illegal hunting of a Gangetic dolphin in the Kosi river in Saharsa’s Darhar police station area. The accused, Birendra Mukhiya, son of Saryug Mukhiya of Darhar village, was arrested during a joint operation, Saharsa Sadar SDPO Omprakash said on Tuesday evening.The case came to light after a video showing the illegal hunting of a dolphin went viral on social media a few days ago. The footage showed fishermen catching a dolphin in a net, lifting it onto a boat and discussing the extraction of oil from the animal.After the video surfaced, the Forest Department and police administration took immediate cognizance of the incident. The Forest Department subsequently lodged a named FIR, following which a joint team of police and forest officials began conducting raids at possible locations linked to the accused.Acting on information about his whereabouts, the team, with the assistance of Darhar police station personnel, arrested Birendra from his home. Officials are now investigating the involvement of other people who may have been associated with the illegal hunting.SDPO Omprakash said the Gangetic dolphin is India’s National Aquatic Animal and enjoys the highest level of legal protection. Under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it receives protection comparable to species such as tigers and lions. Hunting the animal is a serious and non-bailable offence, he said, adding that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in the illegal hunting of wildlife or aquatic animals.The arrested accused has been sent to judicial custody after completion of legal formalities. Following the incident, police and Forest Department officials have also increased patrolling in the Kosi river area to prevent further threats to aquatic wildlife.The Gangetic dolphin, also known as the Ganges river dolphin, is a rare freshwater mammal found in the river systems of India. In Bihar and parts of northern India, it is commonly known as ‘Susu’, a name associated with the sound it makes while breathing.Bihar is among the country’s most important habitats for the Gangetic dolphin, making the protection of the species particularly significant in the state.
