A screengrab from one of the videos showed wild animals killed during an apparent hunting expedition in April. (Screenshot/Morung File)
Morung Express News
Kohima | July 31
Three months after their arrests in connection with the infamous “Lockdown festival” hunting expedition in the Intangki National Park, the four accused have obtained interim bail. Their bail was aided in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The four –Imchainba, Osungkum N Jamir, Yanger Jamir and Opangtemsu – were arrested on April 21 after surrendering to the Nagaland Wildlife wing.
A video displaying poached wildlife went viral on social media on April 19 drawing public contempt and even New Delhi reported to have taken note of the illegal hunting video. The people involved were subsequently identified, resulting in their arrests under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Director of Intangki National Park, T Aochuba told The Morung Express today that they have been released on ‘interim bail’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that following their arrests, they were remanded to custody by the department for six days followed by judicial remand.
“We have submitted the final preliminary offence report on June 17 where all the offences committed by the accused along with the quantum of punishment as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 are mentioned” he said.
He termed the offence as non bailable “because it amounts to killing of Schedule-I (endangered animals).”
On being asked on the quantum of punishment for killing of wildlife under Schedule-I, he informed that the prescribed punishment is a minimum imprisonment of 3 years and extending upto to 7 years or fine of Rs. 10,000 or both.
