3 elephant tusks seized in Odisha's Keonjhar; 4 arrested

In a significant breakthrough against wildlife crime, the Forest Department seized three elephant tusks near Talakaipur village under Bhuyan Juang Pidha range of Keonjhar district, and arrested four individuals in this connection, official sources said on Sunday.

Also Read: Elephant tusks worth Rs 50 lakh seized in Odisha, 1 poacher arrested

The initial arrests took place near a stone crusher at Talakaipur, where forest officials, while on routine patrolling, apprehended two persons in possession of the ivory. Following this, an extended probe led to the arrest of two more individuals from Angul district.

Among the arrested, three are residents of Angul, while one of them belongs to Cuttack district, officials confirmed.

The drive is being seen as part of a larger crackdown on illegal wildlife trafficking, especially involving endangered species like elephants. Preliminary probe suggests the tusks may have been procured from poaching activities or scavenging from dead elephants.

Local police have launched a further probe to identify the broader smuggling network and possible links to organised poachers.

The Forest Department has reiterated its commitment to strict action under the Wildlife Protection Act, and warned of increased surveillance in sensitive forest regions of Odisha.

Forest officials also seized three mobile phones from the possession of the accused.

“This marks a major success against illegal wildlife trafficking. Acting on intelligence from a credible source, a joint operation was launched on the night of September 26, involving Keonjhar Police and Forest Department officials. During the operation, three elephant tusks were seized from the suspects across multiple districts in Odisha, and four persons were taken into custody,” Keonjhar DFO, Dhanraj H. D, said in a presser.

“At around 9.00 PM, forest officials noticed suspicious activity during a joint patrolling. Upon approaching the group, several individuals attempted to flee. However, two were caught on the spot carrying a white plastic bag containing the tusks,” the DFO added.