Some villagers in Uttarakhand's Almora district were booked after a video went viral on social media purportedly showing them hunting a 1.5-tonne 'Gonch' fish, which is protected under central laws.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the video, the Forest Department initiated an inquiry against the locals of Inolu village, who had hunted down the Gonch on Sunday, an official said.
Gonch, also known as the 'Devil Catfish', is a protected specie under schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the villagers have been booked for its violation, said R S Prajapati, forest officer of Almora division.
Four of the accused persons have been identified and a team of forest officials and police officials has been sent to the village to ascertain the identity of others involved, Prajapati said.
Since killing of protected species is prohibited, the offenders will be arrested, he added.
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