Berhampur: Forest sleuths of Berhampur Division have arrested two residents of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for allegedly killing and transporting rhesus macaques monkey, a Schedule II animal, without permit.
The accused have been identified as Ramesh Singh (20) of Eluru and P Nagraju (23) of Srikakulam.
According to sources, locals stopped an autorickshaw at Jarada Chhak in Odisha’s Ganjam district after hearing awkward screams while the accused were on their way to Tumba in Patrapur block on Tuesday night. On finding 15 rhesus monkeys, locally known as pati mankada, stuffed in eight gunny bags, they immediately informed the Forest officials.
“Ten monkeys were found dead, perhaps due to asphyxia. The other five were treated by veterinarians and released into the neighbouring forest,” Berhampur DFO Amlan Nayak said.
He further said that a postmortem would be conducted to determine the cause of their death.
While preliminary investigation suggested the two had come to release the monkeys in the forest near the Odisha border, a probe is on to ascertain the involvement of any inter-state racket in the inhuman transportation of the monkeys, he added.
This species is protected by law and there is also a prohibition on their trade.
