Similipal Tiger Reserve Officials Seize Four Tusks, Nab Five Accused Near Jashipur

Baripada, July 3: In a big seizure the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) officials have seized four tusks and arrested five persons involved in the alleged trading of the stuff. All the accused belong to Uski village under Chakidi gram panchayat of Jamukeswar area within Jashipur police limits along the Jashipur-Rairangpur Road.

The STR officials also seized two motorcycles and four mobile phones. The tusks are suspected to belong to young tuskers. ``The suspected smugglers were about to sell the tusks when the STR officials laid a trap and nabbed them. However, the persons are not the hunters, but they were planning to sell the tusks after getting them from the hunters,’’ said a senior STR official.

The arrested include: Dasia Singh, Manda Singh, Manmohan Hembram, Mantri Singh and Narsingh Singh and all belong to Uski village under Jashipur police limits. Before the accused could sell their stuff the STR team led by South Similipal Deputy Director Dr Samrat Gouda, North Similipal Deputy Director Sai Kiran DN and eight others arrested them. Two more persons are likely to be arrested soon.

The tusks were apparently brought from Dudhiani Range of STR. After getting the tusks from Dudhiani Range, for fetching more money the accused were in talks with wildlife traders. However, Forest officials and police are yet to know the price of the deal and for that the mobile phones could help them in the investigation.