KHAGRACHHARI: A woman was detained with 24 Bengal monitor lizards in Khagrachhari town last night during a joint operation conducted by the district administration and Forest Department in the Chenggi Square area.
The detained woman was identified as Premrasho Marma, 47, of Kuradiachhara village in Panchhari upazila.
Acting on a tip-off, a mobile court conducted the operation around 8pm and recovered five sacks of lizards from her possession.
The sacks contained 24 lizards, of which 10 were alive and 14 were dead, officials said.
Premrasho told authorities that she had bought the lizards for Tk 22,000 from Baraiyarhat in Chattogram and brought them to Khagrachhari to sell them.
Khagrachhari Divisional Forest Officer Md Farid Meah said the 10 live lizards were released into the natural forest at Alutila that night, while the dead ones were buried.
He said legal action would be taken against anyone who captures or hunts wildlife and that the Forest Department would continue regular drives to protect wildlife.
Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Durjoy Goswami said Premrasho was sent to Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station and police were instructed to file a case against her.
