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 v
ideo 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.