Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): A man in possession of a smuggled elephant tusk with a market price of Rs 15 lakhs was arrested from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Sunday. The arrest and seizure took place after officials of Baikunthapur forest division in the disguise of prospective buyers asked the smuggler to arrive at a location in the city with the tusk. The accused has been identified as Manikant Gowala, a resident of the Alipurduar district.
The seizure took place following a tip-off alerting forest officials of the smuggling of an elephant tusk from Assam, which would enter Siliguri via NH 31. "Belakoba Ranger Sanjay Dutta in the disguise of a buyer contacted the smuggler and proposed to meet and buy the tusk for a price of Rs 15 lakhs in Siliguri's Tinbatti More area," the forest department sources said.
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The smuggler arrived at the designated location while carrying the tusk inside a bag of cement during which he was surrounded by forest officials. He was subsequently arrested after questioning. The tusk is 3.5 feet long and weighs three kilograms. Gowala is a resident of Alipurduar Junction, and will be produced before a court, they further noted.
Earlier, in February, the customs department officials in the Chennai airport arrested a man after recovering four Tegu Lizards and a Raccoon from his possession. The Customs Department officials spotted the passenger carrying two big plastic baskets under suspicious circumstances, and stopped to search him when they found the rare animals. It is being probed whether the tusk was brought to Assam from elsewhere.
