Tusk weighing 5.5 kg worth Rs. 1.5 crore seized

Madikeri: Six persons including three from Kodagu have been arrested by Kerala Police when they were trying to sell an elephant tusk in Kerala. The Police have seized the tusk worth Rs. 1.5 crore and worth Rs. 1.5 crore from them.

Those arrested have been identified as 52-year-old Raju of Gonikoppal, 68-year-old Philip Mathew of Ponnampet and 60-year-old Gep of Shettigeri, all in Kodagu, 36-year-old Sudhish of Vakery, 26-year-old Justine Joseph and 30-year-old Yeldo all from Kerala.

They were arrested from a lodge in Manandawadi in Kerala while they were making attempts to sell the tusk. Based on the information from the Forest Department’s Intelligence Wing and local Police, the lodge was raided by the Forest Department Intelligence Wing and Police Flying Squad teams, which arrested the accused and seized the tusk.

It is learnt that the accused had taken the tusk to Kerala to sell it when they were caught. Kerala Police, who conducted interrogation, obtained a search warrant and conducted search in Gonikoppal. Sources said that the Kerala Police have also collected information about others involved in this case.

Meanwhile, ACF Srinivas Nayak of Madikeri Forest Squad, who lead a team of officers including RFOs Shama, Chandu, Vikram and Nagamani and staff, conducted search in Gonikoppal and Ponnampet besides raiding on properties of the accused.

Many other names involved in the case are being heard following which the team of                                  Forest officials have intensified their investigation.