Joint team rescue slow loris
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 24 2013:
A joint team of People's for Animal Thoubal and Nongpok Sekmai Police Station rescued a slow loris from a hillock at Lourembam Awang Leikai.
PFA Thoubal was informed that a displaced slow loris was rescued form the back yard bamboo plants of one Khumanlambam Dhiren Singh of Lorembam Awang Leikai under Nongpok Sekmai police station today, said a press release.
A rescue team moved without delay to Lourembam Awang Leikai.
The team who reached Lourembam at about 10 am and looked for the house of Kh Dhiren, the press release added.
The rescue team was led to another side of the village by a woman saying that the loris was taken away by some young boy of the village.
The team went to the site and met some villagers.
There again the team was told that the loris was released back to the wild.
The team then asked some young boys to lead us to the site where the animal was released so that the team could access its habitat.
When the team reached the site the hillock was found mostly barren due to jungle fire.
The team could not find the site suitable nor the animal which is quiet slow at locomotion.
The team was sure that if the villages had really freed the animal then it could be seen at the place.
The team felt that something fishy was going on.
Then the team informed the OC of Nongpok Sekmai PS, O Ibopishak for assistance.
A strong police team led by OC himself arrived at the scene and started investigation for the missing endangered animal.
The police team searched and interrogated villagers who were involved in the story one by one.
Villagers started gathering at the spot, OC told the villagers about WLPA and its penalties and appealed them to co-operated in the search operation.
The villagers helped the team in the search operation and after about 4 hours (2:30 pm) the loris was found hidden at the hillock inside a bag.
The main accused who had hidden the loris was a group of young boys who absconded due to fear of police.
The villager pleaded the police and PFA members to forgive the young boys.
The combined rescue team urged the villagers to warn the young boys not to involve in such illegal activities' again.
The young boys might have hidden it in the hope that it may fetch a good amount of money as people wrongly believe that loris had medicinal properties.
The PFA team return along with the loris.
An endangered animal was saved at last.
The police station had succeeded in rescuing four slow loris so far including todays.