Bhubaneswar: The recovery of five infant orangutans from a forest in Baleshwar has triggered a political slugfest, with the Opposition BJD on Saturday demanding a high-level, multi-agency probe involving the CBI, NIA and IB, alleging serious security lapses along the country’s international borders. The five infant orangutans were rescued from a forest at Bhograi in Baleshwar district on September 8.
Addressing a press conference, Bhograi BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das said while the STF and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) should continue their investigation, the matter should not be restricted to a wildlife case alone.
“If live orangutans can be transported easily till Bhograi, then terrorists, arms, fake notes and drugs can also reach Baleshwar, where sensitive defence installations are present. This poses a serious threat to national security,” Das said.
He questioned how live animals could be transported across several states – from the international border in Mizoram to West Bengal and then to Odisha – without being detected. He alleged there was no effective security checking on the Digha-Udaipur-Chandaneswar-Bhograi route and traffickers might have used rural roads and sea routes.
“Anti-national elements can easily reach Chandipur or APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Baleshwar and Bhadrak coast. Marine police stations along the eastern coast need to be strengthened,” he said.The MLA pointed out that even five days after the incident, investigators had not detained anyone or traced the vehicles allegedly used.
The ruling BJP rejected the demand.”STF and WCCB are professional agencies and are carrying out their investigation. The joint inquiry will certainly help to arrest the culprits. Please don’t politicise everything, including the orangutan matter,” BJP MLA Irasish Acharya said.
The incident has also drawn national attention. Former Union Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh said on X, “I was very surprised to read about orangutans found in Odisha forests. Obviously there is an international smuggling syndicate at work.
“OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das said, “Orangutans are not native to India. They were definitely trafficked and abandoned in Baleshwar forests by traffickers who feared capture. They must be rehabilitated suitably in the Northeast or Western Ghats.”
