Kidnappings for ransom are common, but now ransoms have been demanded for the return of the fish.
The incident took place in a village in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), where locals demanded a ransom of Rs 50,000 from the authorities for the return of the fish.
It so happened that the monsoon from the natural reserve near Madiana village reached Machh village pond due to flooding.
People were frightened at first when they saw a glimpse of the fish in the local pond, but when they overcame the 8-foot-tall fish, they planned to demand a ransom from the authorities for its release (return).
Anil Patel, who is in charge of the buffer zone near Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, briefed the media in detail about the whole operation.
He said that when the locals caught the fish, they started demanding Rs 50,000 from us for its return.
Anil Patel further said that help was sought from the villagers but also from other authorities including the local police for the return of the fish.
He said it took several hours to convince the villagers, during which he was threatened with legal action and said he could face up to seven years in prison for the crime.
Anil Patel also said that but Machh is now free, we had released him in Gagra river on the day of his release.
"The villagers were unaware that the mosquito is a protected animal under the Wildlife Conservation Act. We need to create awareness among the people about wildlife," he said.
