HT Correspondent
MARAGHERITA, June 27: Three persons have been arrested for allegedly poaching a protected Oriental Pied Hornbill in Tinsukia district, triggering widespread condemnation from environmentalists and wildlife enthusiasts.
The incident reportedly took place on Friday afternoon in the Inthem area under the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency, where the rare hornbill, locally known as the Dhanesh bird, was allegedly killed for its meat.
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The alleged poaching came to light after a video of the incident surfaced on social media, prompting officials of the Margherita East Range Forest Office to launch an operation.
Forest officials apprehended three accused—Phatto Mura (22), Kanai Bhadra (45) and Binod Manjhi (21), all residents of Inthem. The trio was arrested under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, produced before the Margherita Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s Court on Saturday and remanded to judicial custody.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from conservationists, who pointed out that the Oriental Pied Hornbill is a legally protected species and plays an important ecological role in forest regeneration through seed dispersal.
Environmentalist Devajit Moran strongly condemned the killing and called for stringent punishment for those responsible. He said the poaching of a rare and protected bird constituted a serious attack on biodiversity and urged the Assam Forest Department to strengthen wildlife protection and enforcement measures to prevent similar incidents.
Conservationists also noted that hornbills are monogamous birds that form lifelong pair bonds, and the loss of one partner can severely affect the survival and breeding success of the remaining bird. The case has renewed concerns over wildlife crimes in Upper Assam, with environmental groups urging authorities to ensure strict enforcement of wildlife protection laws and intensify awareness campaigns to safeguard endangered species.
