Bargarh: Two persons were arrested by Forest Department officials in Odisha’s Bargarh district for allegedly painting an image of Lord Jagannath on the shell of an Indian Flapshell Turtle and sharing video on social media.
Indian Flapshell Turtle is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Sources said the accused, arrested from Bijepur area of the district, had recorded a video of the turtle with the painted image and posted it as a reel on social media.
The video was widely circulated following which wildlife expert Subhendu Mallik, who is also general secretary of Snake Helpline, filed a complaint with the Chief Wildlife Warden of Odisha.
The complaint emphasised that the Indian Flapshell Turtle is a Schedule I species, and any harm or misuse of it is an offense.
It was demanded that the viral video be taken down and strict legal action be initiated against the accused. A copy of the complaint was also forwarded to the Additional Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for further investigation.
