The Jalpaiguri wildlife special taskforce in West Bengal, India, arrested two Bhutanese men on September 28 for illegal possession of bear bile.

The men, one from Mongar and the other one from Chukha, were arrested from across the border at Manglabari in Jaigaon.

However, sources in Phuentsholing alleged that the two men were initially lured for a deal and the people who called them arrested them in Manglabari.

A source said that the two men were taken at gunpoint.

A wife of one of the men claimed she was also there when her husband and his friend were taken at gunpoint. She claimed she was sent home after the miscreants snatched her cell phone.

She said the miscreants then called her husband’s relatives later from her phone and demanded a ransom of Nu 500,000.

Police officials from Phuentsholing and Jaigaon said they are investigating the people involved in the alleged case. Forest officials had taken the men.

The officer-in-command (OC) of Jaigaon, Paljor Bhutia, said they initially suspected it was a kidnap case but later found that forest officials arrested them.

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing