Bhubaneswar: Investigating agencies in Odisha are treading carefully in their probe into the mysterious rescue of five infant orangutans from a forest in Balasore district. The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch has registered a formal case, but no arrests have been made so far as authorities focus on unravelling the full extent of the suspected wildlife trafficking network.
According to sources, The STF, probing the case along with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and forest officials, has zeroed in on CCTV footage capturing a black Mahindra Thar SUV as a central lead.
Crucial 39-Minute Time Gap Between Surveillance Cameras
Security cameras recorded the vehicle near a hotel and other locations in Digha on the Odisha-West Bengal border around 10:56 pm on the night of September 7, hours before the orangutans were rescued, then again near Bichitrapur about 39 minutes later at approximately 11:35 pm. The short time gap and the roughly 22-km stretch between the sites have prompted questions about possible stops, route deviations and additional suspects joining the convoy. Footage from multiple cameras, including a fertiliser shop, shows the Thar heading toward the Badapahi, the casuarina forest in Bhograi area of Balasore district where the five baby orangutans were found on the morning of September 8, and returning within about 12 to 15 minutes.
Additional visuals depict individuals outside the hotel transferring four large covered boxes from a vehicle boot into a black SUV, which officials strongly suspect contained the caged orangutans. Face masks recovered in a black polythene bag near the forest are also being examined as potential evidence left by those who released the animals.
Sources further stated that the owner of the hotel in New Digha and his son, where six traffickers were reportedly staying though only three registered, remain untraceable with their phones switched off. Three hotel employees, including the driver of the black Thar, have been detained for interrogation, while joint teams have conducted raids and searches across Digha, Bichitrapur forest areas, Howrah and Kolkata. Occupancy records of hotels in the Digha belt are under scrutiny, and more than 40 to 55 CCTV feeds from border roads, rural routes and even the Kolaghat toll plaza have been analysed. Officials are mapping possible transit paths that may have brought the animals from Indonesia via Myanmar and India’s Northeast, or through West Bengal, before using the Digha-Chandaneswar-Bhograi corridor and avoiding major highways. Sea routes are also being checked with assistance from the Coast Guard and marine police.
Earlier, Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia had said that villagers had reported seeing a black SUV near the site where the animals were found. CCTV footage showed such a vehicle passing through the area at around 11.25 pm, but only its upper portion was visible, and its registration number could not be identified, he added.
“Hasty Arrests Violate Personal Liberty,” Says DGP
Speaking on the progress of the case, Director General of Police (DGP) Vinaytosh Mishra stressed the complexity of tackling organised wildlife crime and cautioned against premature actions. “This kind of investigation is a very complicated process and it takes time. The STF has a proven track record of successfully uncovering various wildlife crimes in the past. We do not reveal operational details or intermediate steps to the media, as doing so alerts criminals and allows them to cover their tracks.”
Addressing public expectations around immediate detentions, the police chief highlighted the importance of procedural integrity. “Personal liberty is a crucial matter. Making arrests based merely on rumors or unverified information is inappropriate [01:23]. In the past, rush decisions in certain Crime Branch cases led to people being detained and subsequently released, which was a mistake. The STF and Crime Branch will not repeat such errors. The investigation requires time, but we will reach a logical conclusion> At present, we cannot say anything conclusively. Once we obtain complete evidence-based information, it will be shared with the media,” the DGP added.
The critically endangered primates, three males and two females estimated to be between six months and 1.5 years old, are not native to India and are believed to have been smuggled from Southeast Asia, with Indonesian authorities indicating preliminary observations point to a possible Sumatran origin pending DNA confirmation. The animals, which had initially appeared depressed after being separated from their mother, were shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar for quarantine and veterinary care and their condition remains stable with arrangement made to minimise stress.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed a comprehensive probe, stating that Odisha will not be permitted to serve as a transit corridor for illegal exotic wildlife trafficking and that any network involved will face strict legal action in coordination with central agencies.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry is coordinating with Indian authorities, including the CITES Management Authority, and has expressed readiness to facilitate repatriation once origins are confirmed through genetic testing, followed by health checks, quarantine and potential rehabilitation for eventual release into the wild.
Notably, the case has highlighted the scale of transnational trade in these high-value animals, each reportedly fetching Rs 20-25 lakh on the international black market.
