THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, June 5: Police have registered a criminal case under Section 310 (dacoity) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the interstate transportation of banned Thai Mangur fish through Daltonganj.
Around six quintals of the prohibited fish were seized after police traced a looted consignment that was allegedly being transported from Odisha to Bihar via Jharkhand.
Fish Consignment Looted at Gunpoint
According to police, the consignment was being transported in a pickup van from Balasore in Odisha to Aurangabad in Bihar through Daltonganj.
On June 2, the vehicle was allegedly intercepted by Dhananjay Kumar Gupta and four associates, who reportedly robbed the van and its cargo at gunpoint before taking it towards Paton.
The van driver, Kartik Nayak, and his associate, Masuk, subsequently lodged an FIR at the Town Police Station in Daltonganj.
Police Trace Van and Fish in Paton
Officer-in-Charge and Inspector of Town Police Station Jyoti Lal Rajwar said the FIR was registered under provisions relating to dacoity involving the fish consignment and the vehicle.
Acting on leads, police traced the looted van and the fish a day later at a location under the Paton police station area.
During a raid, police recovered the banned Thai Mangur fish, which was being kept in a concrete water tank. The vehicle was also seized.
Fisheries Department Assists in Disposal
Given the nature of the seized consignment, police sought assistance from the district fisheries department.
Palamu District Fisheries Officer Md Qamruzzaman said:
“On the written request of the town police, we took possession of the banned Thai Mangur fish. We transported it from Paton to Daltonganj.”
He said both live and dead fish were buried on government land at Jore village on the outskirts of Daltonganj on the night of June 3.
Main Accused Yet to Be Arrested
Police said the recovery operation was prioritised before details of the case were made public.
The alleged kingpin of the robbery, Dhananjay Kumar Gupta, remains absconding, and efforts are underway to apprehend him.
Thai Mangur Fish Banned in Jharkhand
According to fisheries officials, Thai Mangur, also known as Thai Sharptooth Catfish, is a prohibited species in Jharkhand.
Its farming, breeding and sale are banned under existing regulations due to environmental concerns. Officials said the species poses a threat to native aquatic biodiversity and water ecosystems.
Authorities described the case as one of the first instances in Palamu involving the seizure of a large quantity of banned Thai Mangur fish linked to a criminal investigation.