The Special Task Force of Odisha police flanked by forest officials of Bolangir forest division on Wednesday arrested a man on the charge of possessing an elephant tusk.

Acting on a tip-off, the STF and forest teams in a joint drive arrested Bipul Bag near village Gudvela village under Tusura police station jurisdiction during a raid and a tusk weighing nine kilograms was seized from his possession.

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A case was registered under the Wildlife Protection Act for illegal possession of wildlife articles and attempt to sell trophies of scheduled animals.

The accused person could not produce any valid authority in support of possession of such wildlife trophies. Later he was remanded to judicial custody under sections 379/411 Indian Penal Code and section-51 of Wildlife Protection Act.

The seized elephant tusk is being sent to Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for chemical examination. Further investigation of the matter is continuing.

Since 2020, the STF stepping up the drive to curb wildlife crimes has made a seizure of 12 elephant tusks. Besides 21 leopard skins, two deer skins, eight live pangolins, 15 kilograms of pangolin scales were also confiscated and 48 wildlife criminals were arrested.