Manggarai Barat police arrest three men for burning live owl

Police in Manggarai Barat, East Nusa Tenggara, have arrested three men following the viral recording of an owl being beaten and burned alive. The suspects, identified as GJ (30), SB (41), and VJ (25), were apprehended by the Komodo Resmob team from their homes in Pacar District.

The incident occurred on August 7 near Bajak Village. According to investigators, the men captured the owl and took it to a kiosk, where GJ allegedly struck the bird's head with wood while VJ held its wings. VJ then reportedly set the animal on fire. SB is accused of recording and uploading the footage to social media, which triggered widespread public condemnation.

The suspects face potential charges under Indonesia’s conservation laws and the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. Authorities are currently coordinating with the East Nusa Tenggara Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA NTT) to verify the legal status of the owl and will hold a case conference to formally determine the suspects' legal standing.