Seven Tokay geckos rescued

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 3: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) sleuths seized seven Tokay geckos from the Jalukbari–airport road at Jalukbari in Guwahati on Monday night. The two persons, who were arrested in this connection, have been let off after charging fines.

The two persons have been identified as Hasinur Rahman and Hafijur Rahman Khan. The WCCB let the two go after charging fines at the rate of Rs 25,000 each. There is a provision under Section 54 in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 that if people involved in wildlife crimes are first timers they can be released after charging fines from them by a regional deputy director-level officer (if the arrests are made by WCCB sleuths) or by a deputy conservator of forest-level officer (if the arrests are made by personnel of the State Forest Department). However, the provisions are stricter if the persons involved in such crime are history-sheeters. The WCCB has its own data base to ascertain if people found involved in such crimes are first timers or history-sheeters. This species is poached for medicinal trades in parts of Asia.