GUWAHATI: Wangwang Tangha and his friend Shonghom Hallang from India’s easternmost Changlang district on the Myanmar border did the unthinkable on Wednesday.
After saving a young deer trapped in a barricade near a transformer, the duo notified the authorities and then transferred it to the forest department. This action was unusual in an area where hunting is a popular activity among residents.
Wangwang and Shonghom are BA students of the Rang-Frah Government College, Changlang, and they hail from the Ngechang village in the district.
District Magistrate Sunny K Singh praised the actions of the pair and suggested their names for rewards within the forest department's current regulations.
“After the deer was handed over to us, we got its health examined by forest officials. We sent it to the Miao Zoo (in the district) later. After keeping it there for one to two months, we will introduce it to the Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve,” Singh told The New Indian Express.
“Their act is indeed heartwarming considering that hunting is common here. It also showed their love for the wildlife,” he further said.
Wangwang, a hosteller, said a fellow student informed him around 9 am on Wednesday that a deer was trapped dangerously inside a transformer barricade.
“Three students had noticed it but they were not willing to rescue it for reasons such as that they will be late for college, their clothes will become dirty and they would run the risk of getting electrocuted,” Wangwang said.
“Without wasting any time, I rushed to the site. There was a threat to my life but somehow, I managed to rescue it. I was slightly injured as the animal attacked me while I was rescuing it,” Wangwang said.
When initially, he took it to his college hostel, some students proposed a feast on its meat but he ignored it.
“Some of my friends said it’s Valentine's Day and we should feast on its meat but I wanted to save its life. Some teachers as well as the leaders of All Muklom Students’ Union (local students’ body) also suggested we must not kill it. So, I contacted the administration,” Wangwang said.
He took the help of Shonghom, who owns a two-wheeler, and rode pillion holding the deer as the duo covered a distance of around 15 km to go to district headquarters Changlang to hand over the animal.
“I am grateful to Sunny sir. He promptly took measures to send the animal to the Miao Zoo where it will be safe,” Wangwang said.