Odisha Orangutan Mystery Deepens as STF Detains 3 in Digha

12 Sep 2026, 06:46 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

The investigation into the unexplained arrival of five young orangutans in Odisha has moved into West Bengal, with the Odisha Police’s Special Task Force (STF) detaining three people from a hotel in Digha and questioning them about the animals’ movement.

The development came after investigators traced CCTV footage and other leads linked to a vehicle seen around the Baleshwar area where the orangutans were found. The STF is now trying to establish where the animals came from, how they reached Odisha and who was involved in transporting them.

STF traces leads to Digha

The three people detained by the STF were picked up from a private hotel in Digha, West Bengal, and brought in for questioning. Investigators are examining whether they have information about the route used to bring the animals into Odisha and the people responsible for their transportation.

A black SUV has also emerged as a significant lead. Investigators are examining whether the vehicle was used in moving the orangutans. CCTV footage from routes connecting the Odisha coast with Digha is being scrutinised as part of the effort to reconstruct the animals’ movement.

The investigation has already expanded across the Odisha-West Bengal border. Odisha STF and West Bengal Police are working together, while officials are checking CCTV recordings from multiple locations. Earlier, investigators had examined footage from at least 46 cameras on routes from Chandaneswar and Udaypur towards Digha. The number of cameras checked has since increased, with officials examining more than 50 recordings in the wider area.

Formal case registered

Odisha’s in-charge DGP Vinaytosh Mishra has directed the STF to register a formal case and pursue the investigation. The police are looking into the possibility that the orangutans were brought into the state as part of an illegal wildlife trafficking operation.

For now, the three people detained in Digha are being questioned, while the STF continues to follow the vehicle and CCTV trail. Authorities are expected to focus on identifying the origin of the orangutans and the wider network, if any, behind their movement into Odisha.