Indiscriminate killing of mithuns by miscreants at Kangku area along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border has been reported by the local people. According to reports, the miscreants dwelling in Assam bordering Kangku circle of Arunachal Pradesh, who are unaware about the sanctity factor which mithuns (Bos frontalis) hold in the hill State of Arunachal Pradesh, killed at least 10 mithuns for consumption during the last three months. Mithuns reared by Balisori villagers in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh entered into the crops fields of the miscreants in bordering Assam and were secretly killed for meat consumption. The entire incident has evoked massive reaction among the people on both sides of the Assam-Arunachal border.
Very recently, the miscreants reportedly butchered three mithuns, including a pregnant mother and two calves, after dragging the animals to the nearby Jiyadhal river bank and then chopping them into pieces. People of Lower Siang district led by the Galo-Mising Coordination Committee (GMCC) president Kenyom Dabi held a meeting on Friday with the Mising Students’ Union (TMPK) and other community organisation leaders of Assam at Balisori Village in Lower Siang district (Arunachal Pradesh) and discussed the issue. The local villagers identified two persons involved in the “grisly episode” and the duo were penalised for their misdeeds.
The meeting chaired by Kenyom Dabi unanimously adopted a resolution and entrusted a team of GMCC executives to conduct an inquiry into the entire matter of killing of mithuns and find out the culprits. The meeting also decided to conduct a series of awareness campaigns vis-à-vis the sanctity of mithuns – which is sacrificed only during community festival and other rituals.
“The miscreants, in fact, were unaware about the fact that mithun is considered a sacred animal by the people of the Abotani clan living in Arunachal Pradesh and such indiscriminate slaughter is not accepted by the tribal societies of the hill State. Mithun slaughter is permitted only during community festivals, in rituals or on special occasions,” remarked Dabi.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Government has declared mithun a ‘State Animal’ and has taken up steps for conservation of the semi-domesticated bovine species.