On Monday, NDTV reported a viral video featuring a group of hunters in Arunachal Pradesh feasting on a 12-feet-long King Cobra after they ran out of rice amid lockdown.
However, the Arunachal Pradesh government in a tweet, dismissed the claim stating that there was no shortage of rice in the state. "The state has at least three months stock at all places and is providing free ration to those who lost their livelihood," it said in a statement.
Besides that Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also called out the news portal for reporting news without verification. “Dear @ndtv please don't make stories without verification! I'm dead against hunting and killing of animals so is the State Govt. But to say that there's no rice left for the people leading to killing of cobra is rubbish! No one hunts snakes for consumption in Arunachal Pradesh”, he tweeted.
Arunachal Pradesh Police has arrested 492 people for defying the COVID-19 lockdown orders. "Arunachal Police is implementing the lockdown seriously for the safety of people. 1,669 violators of lockdown have been booked. 492 persons have been arrested. 750 vehicles have been seized. Total FIRs registered are 161 and total fine imposed is Rs 6,47,650," read a post on the official Twitter handle of Arunachal Pradesh DGP RP Upadhyaya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 24 announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. He later announced the extension of lockdown till May 3. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Arunachal Pradesh has one case.
