Assam: Elephant tusk weighing 2.3 kg recovered from train; one arrested

This is the third recovery of elephant tusk from the suspected smugglers and poachers in Assam in the last ten days

The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Tuesday seized Elephant tusk weighing 2.3 kilograms from Lachit Express train at Kamakhya Railway Station in Assam’s Guwahati.

The Government Railway Police conducted an operation based on a specific information and searched several trains. (Representative Image)

According to the officials of the Assam police, the GRP conducted an operation based on a specific information and searched several trains, including Lachit Express, which was heading to Guwahati, at Kamakhya Railway Station on Tuesday morning.

“One person named Sandeep Joshi was carrying the elephant tusk and he has been arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act. He was handed over to the Guwahati police later,” an official said.

This is the third recovery of elephant tusk from the suspected smugglers and poachers in Assam in the last ten days, according to the officials.

On August 18, forest officials in Morigaon recovered elephant tusk weighing 2.5 kg from a residence. The owner of the house was arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act for allegedly being involved in smuggling of wildlife animal body parts.

On August 13, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) with the help of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam police conducted a raid in Chirang district near Bhutan border and arrested three suspected poachers. A large amount of elephant tusk was recovered from them during the operation, police said.

Police said that these three individuals were part of a seven member gang of rhino poachers, who camped inside the Manas National Park in April this year and killed a rhino and other animals.