Bihar fisherman catches dolphin from Kosi river to take home, arrested after 3 days

A fisherman from Bihar was arrested after a viral video showed him taking a dolphin home from the Kosi river. The case has brought focus on legal protection for the endangered Ganges river dolphin in India.A fisherman in Bihar was arrested for hunting a dolphin. A fisherman has been arrested in Bihar’s Saharsa district after a video showing a dolphin caught and taken home from the Kosi river went viral. The Forest Department and Bihar Police launched a joint investigation after the footage surfaced and arrested the accused promptly.The incident involved a fisherman who had gone fishing in the Kosi river. According to officials, a rare Gangetic dolphin got trapped in his fishing net. Instead of releasing it, the man was seen carrying it home.A passerby recorded the incident on his mobile phone and later shared the footage online, where it went viral. In the video, the fisherman was heard talking about extracting oil from the dolphin. The footage eventually reached Forest Department officials and the district administration, following which a case was registered against the man. He went into hiding after the FIR was filed as authorities began efforts to locate him. Watch the video:The search continued for the next two days before the Forest Department and Bihar Police jointly arrested him on the third day. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Om Prakash said a case had been registered in connection with the dolphin being hunted and killed. He said the Forest Department and Bihar Police had jointly initiated proceedings against the accused.“The accused has been arrested and is being questioned. After that, he will be sent to judicial custody,” the officer said.The incident has also drawn attention to the legal protection accorded to dolphins in India. Hunting or killing dolphins is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.The Ganges river dolphin, which is found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system, is an endangered freshwater species and India’s national aquatic animal. The species is protected under Indian wildlife laws, and hunting it can attract severe punishment.Under the Wildlife Protection Act, offences involving protected species can carry imprisonment of up to seven years, along with a fine, depending on the applicable provisions.(With inputs from Dhiraj Kumar Singh)- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Aug 26, 2026 14:20 IST