A fisherman in the Saharsa district of the Indian state of Bihar caught a rare Ganges dolphin from the Kosi river and brought it home.

According to Indian media, a rare Ganges dolphin was caught in a fisherman’s net, which he moved home instead of freeing.

A video of the incident was recorded by a local man on his mobile phone and shared on social media, which went viral instantly.

In the video, the fisherman can also be heard talking about removing the oil from the dolphins.

After the video surfaced, the forest department and district administration officials swung into action and a case was registered against the fisherman, but he escaped after the FIR was registered.

Police continued the search for two days, after which the fisherman was arrested on the third day.

According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer Om Prakash, a case has been registered for hunting and killing the dolphin, while the Forest Department and Bihar Police arrested the accused in a joint operation.

The police officer said that the accused is being interrogated, after which he will be sent to judicial custody.

It should be noted that the Gangetic Dolphin is legally protected in India and hunting or killing it is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Found in the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna river systems, the Gangetic dolphin is an endangered freshwater species and has been designated as the national aquatic animal of India.

Under Indian laws, offenses related to hunting of protected wildlife are punishable with imprisonment up to seven years and fine depending on the nature of the offense and the relevant statutory provisions.