Mysore/Mysuru: A team of Mysuru Forest Department officials have arrested a man who had kept a molar tooth of an elephant in his house and have seized the tooth.

The arrested is 70-year-old Abhiram Sundaran, a resident of Udayagiri in city.

Following information that Abhiram had kept tiger claws in his house, the Forest officials, who raided his house, conducted a search during which the elephant’s molar tooth was found hidden in a room.

The molar tooth weighs 2 kg and is 17 cms long and 9 cms wide.

Abhiram is said to have told the Forest officials that he had got the tooth from a man in H.D. Kote many years back as it is believed that keeping the molar tooth of an elephant in the house would bring good fortune besides stating that it was used to treat certain skin diseases.

The Forest officials, who have seized the molar tooth, arrested Abhiram and have registered a case against him under Wildlife Protection Act-1972.

DCF Dr. K.N. Basavaraju guided ACF N. Lakshmikanth, RFO K. Surendra, Dhanyashree, DRFO Mohan, Chandrashekar, Mohan and staff in the raid, nabbing and seizing operation.