TN steps up probe after gang arrested for trying to sell elephant tusks

Chennai, June 1 (IANS) Tamil Nadu forest department has commenced a detailed probe after a six-member gang, including a tribal woman, was arrested in Coimbatore for trying to sell elephant tusks.

The forest department conducted a chase on Friday after a tip-off that a gang was moving to Mettupalayam from Coimbatore to sell ivory and was later intercepted near Veerapandi Park in Coimbatore.

However, after securing them it was found that the ivory was not with them.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu forest department told IANS that the six-member gang had concealed the tusks and they are being questioned to reveal the location. Tamil Nadu forest intelligence is also trying to recover the tusks.

Sarvesh Babu (41), the leader of the gang, hailing from Veerapandi street in Coimbatore has informed the forest officers that the ivory was given to him by a person named Ranbeer. He also said that they did not know from where the elephant tusks were procured. The accused told the forest department officials that they had thrown off the ivory at a park near Veerapandi on seeing the forest department officials.

However, forest department officials told IANS that even after a long search in the park, they could not find the tusks and that they suspected someone else would have taken them.

The Forest Department of Coimbatore forest range has already constituted a special investigation team to find out whether any elephant was killed recently in the forest range of Coimbatore.

The six arrested are Sarvesh Babu (41), Sangeetha (38) of Gudalur in Nilgiris district, Vignesh (31) of Edayaripalayam, Loganathan (39) of Vellalore, Arul Arockyam (41) and Balamurugan (48) from Nagamnickenpalayam.

–IANS

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