Two youths from Bijepur were arrested by the Forest Department on Tuesday for violating wildlife protection laws after they painted an image of Lord Jagannath on a turtle’s shell and circulated the video online.
According to officials, Ashish Meher painted the Indian Flap Shell Turtle, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, while Abinash Bagarti recorded the act and posted the video on social media. The incident came to public attention after the video, originally uploaded on Meher’s Facebook account, went viral.
In the footage, Meher was seen forcibly handling the turtle and painting its shell with synthetic colours before releasing it into a water body without removing the paint. The act raised concerns not only about wildlife harm but also about the growing trend of individuals performing risky acts for social media attention.
Snake Helpline general secretary Subhendu Mallik reported the incident to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Prem Kumar Jha, pointing out that the act violated Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Mallik also warned that such videos could inspire similar behaviour among others seeking online fame.
Following the complaint, the Forest Department launched an investigation. Based on the video evidence and subsequent inquiry, Meher and Bagarti were arrested and produced before the court. The viral video has since been deleted from Facebook.
Officials noted that offences involving Schedule I species can attract imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine of Rs1 lakh, or both. The Forest Department urged the public to respect wildlife and avoid creating content that endangers animals or violates legal and ethical norms.
