Keonjhar: Forest officials seized two elephant tusks weighing 10 kg and arrested one person in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Saturday.
Speaking to media persons, Keonjhar DFO Dhanraj HD said the officials of Ghatagaon forest range in the district were informed by reliable sources about transportation of the elephant tusks from the area on Friday. A team of Forest officials led by Keonjhar ACF Ghanashyam Mahant kept a watch on movement of the smugglers of wildlife products.
The DFO said after gathering more information, the Forest officials zeroed in on one of them and started following him. They finally nabbed him Melana village on National Highway 20 on Saturday afternoon.
They seized two elephant tusks from the possession of the accused, who has been identified as Bilash Mankidia of Kendu Mundi village in Similipal of Mayurbhanj district. The two tusks, which had been cut into 8 pieces weighed around 10 kg, the DFO said.
Stating that the Forest officials suspected a big racket in the smuggling of elephant tusks, he said further investigation is on to ascertain involvement of other persons in the illegal trade.
