Chirang police on Sunday arrested one elephant tusk smuggler identified as Alen Basumatary and recovered two tusks from his possession.
The operation was led by Chirang Additional Superintendent of Police (HQ) Prakash Medhi and his team in association with Chirang forest department.
Interacting with Northeast Now, Chirang DFO Brahmananda Patiri said, “We received a specific input that around 60 kilograms of elephant tusk was hidden somewhere in Dadgiri area.”
“We passed on the information to the Chirang police and they carried out an operation and picked up five suspected smugglers on Saturday,” Patiri added.
“After rigorous interrogation, one poacher was kept in custody while others were allowed to go. From his possession, the police later recovered the two elephant tusks,” the DFO further added.
He further informed that more operations will be carried out against poachers and elephant tusks’ smugglers in the coming few weeks.
“We suspect more tusks is kept hidden somewhere near the Nepal and Bhutan border. Due to the lockdown these tusks have not been transported out and we are sure to nab the culprits soon,” he added.
He also thanked the Chirang police for recovering the tusks.