Release Of Two Russian Entomologists, Arrested In India For Illicit Catching Of Insects

Two Russian entomologists arrested in Sikkim, India, for illicit catching of insects have been released and the criminal case against them closed, said Russia's Consul General in Calcutta Alexei Zolotukhin on Sunday. He said that Russian scientists Oleg Amosov and Viktor Sinyayev have been fined 20,000 rupees /approximately 400 dollars/ each. They were detained on July 30 in the state's national park and found to have 2,000 insect specimens. Under local legislation, they were threatened with up to 3 years of imprisonment. Now the two have left for Nepal, from where they will fly home.