GUWAHATI: In a historic judgement, a lower court in Assam’s Chirang district sentenced five persons in three separate cases to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 each for hunting protected species of birds and animals in Manas National Park.
According to a report in News18, the Additional Sessions Judge Naim Uddin Ahmed in Bijni under Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) pronounced the landmark judgement by sentencing Somnath Kisku and Dhojen Tudu for hunting three hares, two mongooses, a dove, a bulbul and a barbet.
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They were convicted under Section 51(1) first proviso of the Wildlife Protection (Assam Amendment) Act, 2009 on June 17.
It should be mentioned that Mongooses belong to Part II of Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the other birds and animals fall under the category of Schedule IV specified animals.
In two other cases in February this year, Jay Ram Ray, Shibu Ram Ray and Rohen Boro were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 50,000 fine, and in default of payment of fine, they would be further sentenced to simple imprisonment for another six months.
