Keonjhar: The special enforcement team of Keonjhar Forest Division in Odisha have arrested four persons on charges of illegally possessing and attempting to sell elephant tusks and other wildlife body parts.
The accused have been identified as Sunil Soren (48), Dasharatha Majhi (27), both of Keonjhar, and Durga Hembram (70), both from Mayurbhanj.
Acting on specific intelligence, the special team raided the house of Soren at Amritapada village under the Palaspanga section of Keonjhar Sadar Range on Wednesday. He along with the other three accused were apprehended while allegedly attempting to sell two elephant tusks weighing about 1.9 kg and elephant jaw bones. “Two elephant tusks, two bones and four mobile phones were seized from the accused during the operation,” said Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer Dhanraj HD.
Preliminary probe suggests that the seized parts were of an elephant aged ten to twelve years.
While accused belong to Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, their possible links to wildlife gangs operation inside the state and in other states are under the purview of investigation. “A detailed probe is underway to establish the forward and backward links of the wildlife trafficking network and to ascertain the source and intended destination of the seized wildlife items,” the DFO added.