BARIPADA: Forest personnel recovered three elephant tusks during two separate raids in Balasore district on Monday.
Two tusks were recovered from the house of one Susanta Kumar Nayak at Betakata village under Keshipur panchayat in Nilagiri area. Nayak is the prime accused in the killing of an elephant in Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary recently.
Sources said after the carcass of an elephant was discovered near Putibandha Hudisahi on June 15, the Forest department launched a crackdown on poachers. While five persons were arrested in connection with the case, Nayak and the elephant’s tusks could not be traced.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team led by Balasore ACF Diganta Shobhan Chand, Kuldiha range officer Subrata Behera and Berhampur police raided Nayak’s residence and seized the two tusks. However, Nayak and his associate Bapi managed to escape. Chand said efforts are on to nab Nayak and his associates. Investigation is underway to uncover the full scope of the poaching network.
The forest team also recovered an elephant tusk from one Dina Murmu of Bhagabandh village under Telipala panchayat. Murmu has been taken into custody for questioning, the ACF added.