Meghalaya: Thieves poison fish sanctuary in Williamnagar, several hundred kilos stolen

Tura: A fish sanctuary in Williamnagar of East Garo Hills, Meghalaya was devastated by thieves who allegedly stole hundreds of kilos of fish on December 12th night.

Locals discovered the theft on Wednesday after finding several dead fish floating in the water.

Locals claimed that the thieves used poison to steal the fist, as many fish were found gasping for air before they died.

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Samples of the recovered fish have been sent for testing to identify the specific toxin used.

"We urge everyone not to consume any riverine fish sold in and around Williamnagar town as a safety measure", an official said after the incident.

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The Warima fish sanctuary was established in 2013 by the state government in partnership with the locals.

It was aimed to boost tourism and promote aquaculture through fish breeding.

The sanctuary had become a haven for various fish species, including the endangered Narong (Indian mahseer).

The full extent of the loss is still being determined, but officials estimate that 150 to 200 kgs of mature fish were stolen.