Overview

• Three YouTubers from Dhemaji district—Munindra Mushahari, Maheswar Swargiyari and Shivaram Swargiyari—were arrested for filming themselves killing wild birds with slingshots in Simen Chapori on World Environment Day.
• The group targeted bird habitats in Hastinapur and Kordoiguri villages, killing migratory species including the lesser whistling duck and looting hundreds of eggs from nests.
• Police and forest officers launched a swift investigation after discovering the videos on the 'Jakrub' YouTube channel, which had published 33 videos featuring similar acts of cruelty.
• The forest department removed the footage from the channel but retained copies now used as evidence in the Wildlife Protection Act case.
• If convicted, the accused could face three to seven years in prison, and the incident has prompted calls for stricter oversight of digital platforms hosting illegal wildlife content.