Bhubaneswar: A disturbing video has surfaced on social media, showing villagers in Mayurbhanj’s Kuliana block brutally killing a python, a species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The incident has sparked outrage among wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists.
According to reports, the villagers, who are mostly tribal communities, were unaware of the python’s protected status.
In the viral video, a group of youths can be seen killing a protected python brutally and then dragging its lifeless body through the village streets. The footage has sparked widespread outrage among the animal conservationists. The video, meanwhile, has landed the villagers in legal trouble as killing snakes is a punishable offence in India because they are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The Baripada Forest Range Officer, Uma Mahesh, has initiated an investigation into the matter and sent a team to the spot.
“We will take action against those involved in the killing as per the law,” Mahesh said.
However, this is not an isolated incident in Mayurbhanj, where endangered species are frequently killed due to lack of awareness. Former wildlife warden, Banumitra Acharya, stressed the need for widespread awareness campaigns to protect endangered species.
“The killing of protected species like pythons is a recurring incident in Mayurbhanj. It’s essential to educate the public about the importance of conservation,” Acharya said.
