Two arrested for catching hornbill from the forest

The forest department on Monday arrested two persons in Alipurduar for allegedly catching a hornbill.

Navojit Dey, the assistant wildlife warden of the Jaldapara National Park, said the two had entered the Chilapata reserve forest and caught the bird.

“Our staff nabbed them. Both were produced in court and remanded in our custody for five days. We want to interrogate them to know whether they are associated with a bird smuggling racket,” he said.

The arrested are Rajen Rava and Punai Oraon, who are from Chakwakheti, a village adjacent to Chilapata.

Cattle seized

Fifty buffaloes which were being carried illegally from Bihar to Assam were seized from two container trucks on Monday.

The seizure was made by Phansidewa police on NH27 between Ghoshpukur and Fulbari near Siliguri. Three Uttar Pradesh residents have been arrested.

Cannabis haul

Rajganj police in Jalpaiguri seized 56kg of cannabis from a vehicle on Sunday evening. Jayanta Das, a resident of Cooch Behar, has been arrested.