Man held, tusk seized
The Chamarajnagar Forest Mobile Squad (FMS) of CID forest cell, on Thursday arrested a 55-year-old habitual offender, while trying to smuggle a large elephant tusk.
A team of FMS, headed by officer Chikkasiddaiah raided the house of the accused, Chandranayaka, at Javaredoddi in the taluk and arrested the accused while smuggling the banned item under the Wildlife Act. The single tusk measuring almost five feet (4.11 feet), weighs 17 kg and is valued at Rs 34 lakh in the international market of illegal wildlife trade. “The tusk has a diameter of one foot and three inches,” said Chikkasiddaiah, Sub Inspector of Chamarajnagar FMS. Chandranayaka, according to FMS Chamarajnagar, was in the trade since the days forest brigand Veerappan operated. “Several cases of sandalwood smuggling and illegal wildlife trade have been booked against him. He was arrested for possessing a tiger pelt in 2010 and the matter is pending before the local court,” said Chikkasiddaiah. The accused has been booked under Wildlife Protection Act and Indian Penal Code by Hanur Police. His associate Sukru Nayaka has managed to escape.
Tiger kills elephant calf
An eight-month-old elephant calf died in a tiger attack in Veeranahosahalli range of Nagarhole National Park, reports DHNS from Hunsur. The tiger killed the calf while it was grazing near Basari Mara in CPT-5 block of Veeranahosahalli of the sanctuary. The incident came to the notice of the Forest department during regular patrolling by the watchers. The postmortem was conducted on the spot.
