Sundargarh: Forest Department officials on Wednesday seized two elephant tusks weighing around 3 kg during a raid at Badgaon under Banki forest range in Rourkela Forest Division. The Forest Department has arrested 11 persons in this connection.
According to reports, acting on reliable information, Rourkela Forest Division officials raided the house of one Rameswar Nayak (51) at Badgaon and seized the tusks during the search.
The accused have been identified as Rameswar Nayak (51), Biraja Munda (40), Khageswar Mahanta (40), Prakash Chandra Mahakud (39), Suguda Hembram (34), Ramchandra Patra (61), Satyanand Patra (51), Pritikanta Mahanta (27), Ranjan Mahanta (48) Jashobant Patra (58), and Bidyadhar Patra (48).
They have been booked under Sections 9, 39, 44 and 49 (B) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
