Baripada: Four wildlife smugglers were arrested and elephant tusks recovered from them in Thakurmunda forest area of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Sunday.
The arrest was made during a joint operation by the personnel of Karanjia, Dushiani, and Thakurmunda forest ranges, sources said.
The forest department personnel intercepted and apprehended the four when they were carrying the ivory tusks for sale. They were caught near Champajharan in Thakurmunda forest area an while carrying the tusks on motorcycles.
Two elephant tusks, three motorcycles, and four mobile phones were seized from the possession of the poachers.
The arrested persons have been identified as Nityanand Singh (24), Chumuru Singh (23), Lachhu Singh (30), and Raju Bankista (27).
The accused persons are being interrogated by the forest department officials to ascertain whether others are involved in the racket.
