- Five orangutans were rescued from a forest in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday
- A black Mahindra Thar SUV was seen near the forest before the orangutans were found
- CCTV footage shows the vehicle passing the area at 11:25 pm and returning 15 minutes later
Five orangutans, which are not indigenous to India, were rescued from a forest in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday. Where did they come from? Who smuggled them? Why were they brought? Several questions are being raised, and a probe has been launched. Amid the investigation, CCTV footage of a black Mahindra Thar has raised suspicions.
According to locals, a black SUV was seen near the forest the night before the critically endangered great apes were found.
CCTV footage obtained from the area shows the vehicle passing through at around 11:25 pm and returning 15 minutes later.
The footage is now being examined as part of the investigation into how the orangutans reached the forest.
Investigators are expected to verify the vehicle's identity and movements before drawing any conclusions.
A four-member special task force (STF) has launched an investigation into the mysterious arrival of the orangutans
The rescued Orangutans have been brought to Nandan Kanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar and are currently in quarantine.
"All our doctors from the Forest Department are involved in this," Odisha Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia told the news agency PTI. "Along with this, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) is also monitoring the situation and keeping a close watch. If there is any requirement in the coming season, we will also bring in expert doctors from the National Wildlife authorities. We are currently keeping a close watch on the situation."
Singhkhuntia said that these apes might have been brought to Odisha by air, water or rail routes. The price of each of orangutan is around Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in the international market, he added.
"We have urged the WCCB to probe into the incident and asked the airport, railway stations and ports to verify their CCTV cameras as the animals might have been brought through their transportation facilities," the minister said.
The WCCB is responsible for tackling wildlife-related crimes in the country.
