Cooked A Rare Lizard, Posted Online: What Happened To This Odisha Man Next?

In a shocking case from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, a man was arrested after he cooked the flesh of a rare and banned monitor lizard and uploaded the video on social media. The case not only infuriated many social media users, but it also prompted prompt actions by forest authorities which evidences how seriously India enforces on its wildlife conservation laws.

The accused, Rupa Nayak from Asanbani village, allegedly found a dead monitor lizard on the roadside, near Banta, during a journey from his wife’s maternal house in Bhadrak. Instead of leaving the dead animal then and there, Nayak carried it to his home, cooked its flesh and filmed the whole process. He then uploaded the video on Facebook and YouTube and eventually it went viral.

Forest officials suo motu cognizance of the viral video and opened an investigation. Nayak was arrested under the Thakurmunda Forest Range. At the time of questioning Rupa Nayak admitted to the crime. He has been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, an act to provide for the protection of wildlife and natural resources in India.

What the Law Says?

The Wildlife Protection Act is India’s key legislation for wildlife conservation. Various sections under which Nayak has been accused state strict bans:

Section 2(16)(a)(b): Ties down “hunting” to mean not just killing, but also capturing, wounding, or damaging even a body part of a wild animal.

Section 9: Bans hunting of any wild animal covered under Schedules I–IV, such as reptiles like the monitor lizard.

Section 39(1)(b): Makes all wild animals and their parts state property, except if lawfully obtained.

Section 48(a) & 48(b): Prevents purchasing or selling of wild animals or their parts without proper authorization.

Section 50(1): Authorizes officers to search and seize where an offence under the Act is suspected to occur.

Although Nayak states that he found the lizard dead by the roadside, the law-enforcement officials state the lizard has a protected status whether it is alive or dead, because it is an offense to possess or consume any protected species. In India, Monitor Lizards are also provided protected status and legally for the ecological balance in controlling rodent and insect populations. The perpetrator has been arrested and is under trial in the courts of law. 

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