Two nabbed for trying to sell 20-kg tusk

VELLORE: Forest Department officials from Chennai aided by their Vellore counterparts successfully nabbed two persons from Chennai who attempted to sell them an elephant tusk, on Wednesday evening.

Officials said that Satish Kumar (39) and Jayakumar (38) both of Nerkundarm in Chennai were involved in the sale of animal related artifacts. Satish Kumar already had cases pending on similar issues with the Forest Department.

Chennai forest officials learnt that the duo planned to sell an elephant tusk and as Satish Kumar was already on their radar the department tracked them using the former’s mobile phone location.

Forest officials then approached the duo in the guise of wanting to purchase the tusk. They were told to come to Vellore as both were in that town. Hence, on Wednesday evening Chennai forest officials arrived in Vellore and when they contacted Satish Kumar he told them to come to Sathumadurai, on the outskirts of the town on the Tiruvannamalai highway.

Chennai officials accompanied by their local counterparts went to the spot in plain clothes and started talking to them when others who were in hiding nabbed them. Officials said that the duo demanded Rs 23 lakh for the 20 kg tusk. Both have been remanded to custody.