Keonjhar: The Forest Department has arrested five persons for attempting to sell ivory in the district. The arrests were made after a team of forest officials raided a house in Balibeda village under Bhuyan Juang Peedha range in Bansapal block, following a tip-off from a reliable source.
During the raid, the Forest Department seized four ivory tusks weighing 5.058 kg, along with four mobile phones and two bikes. The arrested individuals have been identified as Gangadhar Patra of Balibeda village, Narada Munda of Jambhiripashi village, Kedarnath Patra of Valiyadih village in Mayurbhanj district, Krishnachandra Munda of Jhadpokhari village, and Ghaziram Munda of Bardapal village.
The Forest Department officials said that the five accused were arrested on charges of illegally possessing ivory.
