Seven arrested for illegal trade of elephant tusks in Odisha

BARIPADA: In a major success, the Forest department arrested seven persons and seized from their possession five elephant tusks in a late night decoy operation in Kaptipada area on Tuesday.

The arrested accused include Nauru Sai of Bidyadharpur village, Saimal Singh of Gobarasole village, Nityananda Gagrai and Birabhadra Singh of Mahulapankha village in Mayurbhanj district, Ajay Barik of Kaduani village, Niranjan Behera of Jamunu village within Berhampur police limits and Sunil Kumar Ho of Betei village under Oupada police station in Balasore district.

Acting on a tip-off, over 50 officials and security personnel from both the Baripada forest division and Similipal Tiger Reserve south division formed teams to track the poachers. They got to know the gang was planning to sell five tusks.

The operation began on Tuesday night when officials, disguised as buyers, reached Nauru Sai’s house in Bidyadharpur village, where the tusks were stored. The poachers insisted on conducting a religious ritual before the sale. They worshipped the tusks with an image of Hanuman, bananas, vermilion, oil and flowers. After the ceremony, they handed over the tusks to the undercover officials.

At this point, other forest personnel arrived and arrested the seven suspects, seizing the tusks. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF) and field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, Prakash Chand Gogineni, said investigation is underway to identify the other persons involved in the case.

Sources said, the suspects are believed to have poached the elephants from either Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj or Kuldiha sanctuary in Balasore district.

The accused will be presented in court following the completion of the investigation and other formalities, the department officials said.