West Bengal: Forest ranger arrests two in Jalpaiguri, 24 kgs of ivory seized

Two people were arrested and two pieces of elephant ivory, weighing 24 kgs were seized by Ranger Sanjay Dutta and his troops in West Bengal on Wednesday.

Hari Krishnan, Divisional Forest Officer, Baikunthupur forest division said, two people were coming from Malbazar area with a synthetic bag loaded with wildlife articles and their team intercepted them.

"During a search operation, they found two pieces of elephant tusk in their possession. They were planning to smuggle the elephant tusks to Nepal."

The accused persons, named Gobinda Pradhan, resident of Alipurduar and Bikash Lama, resident of Jalpaiguri of West Bengal state were brought to Range Head Quarter for further interrogation.

"On interrogation, they disclosed that they were supposed to deliver the elephant tusks to a counterpart at Kakurvita, Dist- Jhapa, Nepal," said Forest Range Officer, Sanjay Dutta.

He further added, "Both the accused confessed that both the persons have close nexus of an International Wildlife trafficking syndicate. The elephant was trapped and killed in the Government Forest of Assam during the divesting flood for extraction of the Ivory. Efforts are going on to communicate the matter to Assam Wildlife Authority to ascertain the exact location."

The accused persons have been arrested under section 50 of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972. Both the accused persons will be forwarded to Jalpaiguri district court.

Published on: Thursday, July 28, 2022, 02:05 PM IST