Balasore Orangutan Case: ‘Digha Link’ Emerges, STF Detains 3 From Hotel, Watch

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Bhubaneswar: The investigation into the recovery of 5 baby orangutans from Bhogarai area in Balasore district of Odisha has now reached Digha in West Bengal. The Odisha Crime Branch STF has detained 3 persons from a hotel in Digha and is interrogating them.

The STF is trying to find out who brought the orangutans, where they came from and to whom they were being taken.

The biggest clue in the investigation has been the CCTV trail of a black Mahindra Thar from Digha to Bhogarai.

According to reports, CCTV footage shows that on the night of September 7, the vehicle went from Digha towards Bhograi. A black SUV was also seen near the spot where the orangutans were found.

As per reports, at around 10:56 PM, the black Thar along with a white car was seen on CCTV in the New Digha area. Later, at around 11:35 PM, the Thar reached the Bhogarai area where the orangutans were found and returned after about 12 minutes. The distance from Digha to the spot is about 22 kilometers.

Following this CCTV trail, the STF reached Digha. It checked CCTV footage of various hotels in New Digha and questioned hotel authorities. Subsequently, 3 persons were detained from a hotel. For the sake of investigation, their identities have not been officially disclosed.

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Another important claim has also surfaced. Citing local media sources, it is reported that investigators suspect that a deal for the sale and purchase of the orangutans was done in a hotel in Digha. There is also a claim that the price was fixed at up to Rs 1 crore per orangutan. However, this claim of Rs 1 crore deal has not been officially confirmed by the STF yet.

Orangutan is not a natural wildlife of India. It is mainly found in the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. Since there is no possibility of 5 baby orangutans coming to the Balasore forest on their own, the suspicion of an international wildlife smuggling racket has become stronger.

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has also joined the investigation. The probe is ongoing on all aspects — how the orangutans came to India from abroad, whether the sea route was used, how they reached Balasore from Digha and what was their final destination.

Where did the orangutans come from? Who was in the black Thar? With whom was the deal done in Digha? And what was the final destination of the orangutans? If answers to these questions are found, the full picture of the possible international wildlife trafficking network behind the 5 orangutans of Balasore may come to light.

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Also read: CM expresses deep concern over rescue of baby orangutans from Odisha, orders thorough investigation

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