Pair of tusks seized, 4 held in Erode

Acting on a tip off on the smuggling activity, the Forest Department increased vigil over the last one week. On Wednesday night, a team intercepted two persons on a two-wheeler at Kanakkampalayam ‘pirivu’ on suspicion. Inquiries revealed that they were in possession of a pair of tusks. Upon further grilling, the Forest Department officials took into custody the two and 2 of their associates.

The four accused persons identified as Palanisamy (50) of Doddakombai, Angappan (54), Andavan (47) and Govindarajan (41), all from Poonachi village in Anthiyur claimed to have extracted the tusks from the carcass of an elephant in the forest area in Erode. Further inquiries are on to know if they were part of any ivory smuggling network. This incident comes days after an elephant was found dead with its ivory missing in Krishnagiri district.