Bagdogra, December 21 (Siliguri Chronicle) – Two wildlife traffickers were arrested with an elephant tusk during a special operation by forest personnel of the Ghoshpukur Range under the Kurseong Division on the Bagdogra–Siliguri stretch of Asian Highway 2. The arrested persons have been identified as Ganesh Basfor, a resident of Nepal, and Kamal Agarwal, a resident of Siliguri.
Acting on a tip-off, the forest team reportedly intercepted a Nepal-registered four-wheeler on the Bagdogra–Siliguri Asian Highway flyover. A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of an elephant tusk.
According to forest sources, the seized tusk measures about 35 centimetres in length and weighs 1 kilogram and 105 grams. Following the recovery, both occupants of the vehicle were arrested on charges of illegal trafficking in wildlife body parts. The accused will be produced before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court after preliminary interrogation.
Assistant Divisional Forest Officer (ADFO) Rahul Dev Mukherjee said the Siliguri “chicken neck” corridor in north Bengal is frequently used by international wildlife trafficking networks. He said the forest department had received specific intelligence about the movement of wildlife body parts, following which a special team led by the Ghoshpukur Range Officer was constituted. The team conducted the operation and arrested the two accused. Further questioning is underway to trace other individuals involved in the trafficking network, he added.
