Russian butterfly collectors held in India

Two Russian entomologists who were arrested in the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim, for attempting to smuggle out of India a large number of endangered butterflies, moths and beetles, have been remanded in custody for another 12 days.

The Russian embassy in Delhi is trying to secure the release of the two men - Siniaev Victor and Ammosov Oleg - on the grounds that they were not aware of Indian regulations relating to wildlife.

The pair pleaded not guilty when they were produced before the chief judicial magistrate of south west Sikkim on Friday. Sikkim's police chief, RK Handa, said the Russians had collected tens of thousands of butterflies, moths and beetles over four days from a protected wildlife reserve.

He said that the total weight of insects seized from them was close to 21 kilograms.

India's leading expert on butterflies, Virender Singh, says that a rare butterfly could fetch up to $400 in Europe.

Two Indian nationals and two Nepalese porters have also been remanded in custody over the incident.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service