Reports came in Monday morning from Hailakandi town of South Assam that one person was sighted selling body parts of several rare animals. The unidentified person was sitting in a roadside near the Hailakandi court compound.

Amir Sohail Choudhury a research scholar of Assam University, when sighted the man at around 10, with the animal items automatically due to his professional curiosity engaged with the man. Sohail informed that the man was a local and he blatantly stated he has got these from his sources and is selling these as it has medicinal properties.

Amir identified the dead remains of Indian Muntjac, Porcupine, Bengal tiger claws (old), 2 turtle shells, Sambar Skin, Snails, Python (one vertebral bone), Muntjac skin with the person as displayed openly. When he inquired how did he get Bengal tiger claws as it is not found in this region, the man said he procured from Kaziranga.

Amir immediately contacted DFO Hailakandi NH Mazumder and informed about the illegal activity.

When KRC Times contacted DFO Mazumder, he informed that as he is out of the station, he has asked his staff to investigate the matter in the field. It is not clear whether the forest officials could take any steps or could apprehend the unidentified man till filing of this report.

Amir informed KRC Times that ‘at about 10 am, today in front of the District Court. I noticed a person selling some wild animal body pieces, including mammals and reptiles. The seller said both of these were used for different medicinal purposes. I found certain parts of the body such as the Indian Muntjac skull, Sambar and Indian muntjac skin, porcupine body fur, Bengal tiger claws, turtle shells,

Suman Mohapatra the Chief Conservator of Forest, South Assam Circle who also came to know about the incident had instructed DFO Mazumder immediately to enquire but Mohapatra informed that he is yet to get any concrete feedback from Hailakandi and that the unidentified man could not be found. Mohapatra also said that this is the first incident of such nature that he has come across but accepted that there is every possibility such trade is going on without the knowledge of the forest officials. He also echoed that forest officials have to tighten their belts and become more proactive in their surveillance.

This incident of Hailakandi has once again raised eyebrows and concern of the academicians and research scholars of Assam University who are continuously doing rescue operation of various species. The illegal trade is of much concern said Prof Parthankar Choudhury of Ecology and Environment Science department. He also narrated various other incidents where the nefarious trade and practices are going on and echoed that if people, officials and conservationist does not remain alert then we will face man-animal conflict on a large scale.

It is to be seen what action is taken up by the forest department as well as local administration. Barak Valley due to its geography is having borders with Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya besides Bangladesh which makes it a nerve centre for many illicit trades such as drugs, forest produce and wild animals. But it is also to be lauded that academic researchers like Amir are doing their professional responsibilities who immediately informed DFO Mazumdar about the same.

This is not the only incidents such people (mostly locals) are also targeting Bengal Monitor lizards for oil and meat because it is believed to have some medicinal property. This species is Schedule 1 animal of Wildlife Protection Act 1972  

Even birds like pond heron, white breasted waterhen, lesser whistling teal, cattle egrets are regularly sold for medicinal usages.

Further update:

Late at night, DFO Mazumdar informed that the Beat Forest Officer, Sadar Beat, Hailakandi had checked the area but could not trace the man. He thinks that probably the person gauged something and fled away with the materials.