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Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 20 (EMN): Two videos of wild animals killed by hunters in Nagaland, and widely circulated on social media platforms, have sparked yet another debate of whether hunting should be ‘banned’ in the state.
However, while speaking to Eastern Mirror, Vedpal Singh, the additional chief conservator of Forest (Environment and Climate Change), stated that ‘banning’ hunting would be a pointless exercise since hunting has been declared illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA).
The official informed that the Forest department has identified the culprits behind the videos and necessary actions will be taken.
Singh said that sambar deer, barking deer and large Indian civet, besides other animals, were seen in the videos.
According to him, one of the incidents took place at Aghunato subdivision in Zunheboto district, and the location of the other incident is suspected to be between Intangki Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagaland and Dhansiri Reserve Forest in Assam.
Singh shared that the department had initially faced difficulties tracing the culprits, and that the police had informed of their inability to apprehend them.
Using its own resources, the department has now identified the culprits captured in the videos, he said. Some of the culprits have offered to surrender, he added.