Reported by Avik Chakraborty
Dibrugarh: Elephant Monitors Assam has urged the Assam Forest Department to investigate reports that a captive elephant under the Golaghat Forest Division is being transferred to a buyer outside the state, alleging the existence of an illegal elephant trafficking network.
Bhabananda Gogoi, trustee of Elephant Monitors Assam, claimed that a domesticated adult male elephant named Ram Prasad is in the process of being sold to a buyer in a southern Indian state.
“We demand that the Forest Department intervene and verify the reports. We have received information from local sources that the elephant Ram Prasad is being sold outside Assam,” Gogoi said.
According to Gogoi, Ram Prasad had allegedly trampled its owner to death in 2025 before fleeing. The elephant was later tranquilised by veterinarians from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in the Dergaon area of Golaghat district.
He further claimed that the elephant was also involved in another fatal incident involving a mahout.
Gogoi said the organisation had requested the Assam government, the Forest Department and other authorities to investigate the reported sale and take appropriate action if any violation of wildlife laws was found.
Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Asian elephant is listed under Schedule I and receives the highest level of legal protection in India. The transfer, ownership and transportation of captive elephants are subject to regulatory approvals and legal provisions.
Sources associated with animal welfare groups alleged that an individual identified as Asif was involved in an elephant trafficking network operating in the region. However, no official confirmation of the allegation was available and it could not be independently verified.
The sources further claimed that several elephants from Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh had been transported to other states in recent years, with many reportedly being used for religious and ceremonial purposes.
They alleged that some elephants captured from forests are domesticated over a period of time before being transferred or sold to owners outside the Northeast.
“Elephant trafficking has been taking place in an organised manner. Many elephants are allegedly moved outside Assam after being domesticated, and a large network is involved in the process,” a source said.