72,000 Shafts Seized in Kakching District; Investigation Underway
Imphal, May 18 — A 24-year-old man was arrested in Manipur’s Kakching district on charges of attempting to smuggle peacock feather shafts to Myanmar, police said on Sunday. The seized consignment, estimated to be worth ₹37 lakh, has raised concerns over illegal wildlife-related trade in the region.The arrest took place in the Pallel area, where police intercepted the accused, a resident of Tengnoupal district near the Indo-Myanmar border. Authorities confiscated four plastic sacks containing approximately 72,000 peacock feather shafts, weighing around 142 kilograms, along with the vehicle used for transportation.
Peacock feather shafts, which are the central stems of the feathers, are in high demand for religious and cultural practices. However, the accused was unable to produce any valid documentation for the possession or transport of the items.
Police are currently investigating the source of the peacock feather shafts, as peacocks are rarely found in Manipur. The focus of the inquiry is to trace the supply chain and determine whether the feathers were brought in from outside the state before being smuggled toward Myanmar.
The case has highlighted the growing concern around the trafficking of wildlife products across the Indo-Myanmar border.
