Full Breakdown
Odisha Orangutan Smuggling Probe Expands Across Land and Sea Routes
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
Forest officials rescued five baby orangutans – a critically endangered species native to Indonesia and Malaysia – from the Bichitrapur forest in Balasore district, Odisha. The animals were found near Badapahi village on a Tuesday morning after villagers reported their presence. Authorities suspect the primates were illegally transported into the state, prompting a multi-agency investigation.
Investigation Details
The Odisha Crime Branch’s Special Task Force (STF) and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) have reviewed footage from more than 55 CCTV cameras installed along rural roads, including the Digha-Chandaneswar-Bhograi corridor in West Bengal. Surveillance captured a black SUV – described as a Thar in some reports – passing the drop-off area around 11:25 pm on Monday night. The vehicle’s registration number was not visible.
Investigators have also recovered face masks from a black polythene bag at the site and are examining whether the orangutans entered Odisha via inland routes or through maritime channels, with two WCCB teams from Bhopal and Kolkata joining the probe. Regional Chief Conservator of Forests Prakash Chandra Gogineni noted that traffickers appear to have avoided national highways, favoring interior village roads, and raised the possibility of an international network moving the animals from Myanmar or Indonesia.
Official Statements
- Director General of Police Vinaytosh Mishra directed the STF to determine the transport route, the individuals involved, and the purpose of the operation.
- Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia emphasized the need to locate the mysterious SUV, citing villagers’ reports.
- Chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha reported that the rescued orangutans, initially depressed, are now eating, playing, and adapting to their enclosure.
Data and Context
- Five orangutans rescued; each can fetch around INR20-25 lakh on the illegal market.
- More than 50 cameras along the Digha-Chandaneswar-Bhograi route and 55 cameras in Bhograi and Digha were examined.
- The DGP expects visible investigative progress within seven to eight days.
What’s Next
The STF has detained three individuals in Digha for questioning and will continue to trace the black SUV, explore possible sea-borne routes, and coordinate with national wildlife agencies to dismantle any trans-border trafficking network.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The STF has detained three people on suspicion and they are being questioned. At present, we cannot say anything conclusively. Once we obtain complete evidence-based information, it will be shared with the media,” — Vinaytosh Mishra
- “We are investigating the route through which the orangutans were brought, who brought them and what the purpose was,” — Vinaytosh Mishra