Flight lands with nine simians, eight dead, from Malaysia; 2 held
A flight from Malaysia landed in Mumbai with nine smuggled simians, eight dead; two arrested under wildlife laws. One macaque survives but is critical.
MUMBAI: A flight from Malaysia landed at the Mumbai international airport on Sunday, with an unusual consignment in its hold – packed into suitcases were nine exotic simians, eight of them dead.
The wildlife wing of the state forest department on Monday arrested two individuals, who had smuggled the animals into India, begging the question: how did they manage to check in suitcases that held these animals, making it past security scanners in both countries?
The department has arrested Sriram Subramania from Tamil Nadu and Mathavi Sallakunhu, a Malaysian national, from Hotel Janata in Colaba. The simians they had smuggled in were four Simon Gibbons, three Golden Gibbons, and two pigtail macaques. Of this, only one pigtail macaque has survived and is in the care of the forest department. Officials said the animal is dehydrated and in critical condition.
The accused have been arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and have also violated the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. They were produced in court on Monday and remanded to seven days’ police custody.
Wildlife rescuer Pawan Sharma said, “One pigtail macaque has survived but is in critical condition. The others died due to starvation, suffocation, dehydration and captivity stress.”
The action was carried out by chief conservator of forests, P Pradeepa, deputy conservator of forests, Sachin Repal, assistant conservator of forests, Sonal Valvii, and range forest officer, Rakesh Bhoir.
