Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
In a significant breakthrough against wildlife trafficking, a joint operation involving the Uttarakhand STF, UP STF, and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Delhi resulted in the arrest of three interstate smugglers in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The accused identified as Aditya Vikram, 24 and Karan Singh, 40, both residents of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and Natha Singh, 45, a resident of nanakmatta in Udham Singh Nagar, were arrested with two elephant tusks, approximately 3.25 feet long, worth an estimated Rs 1 crore in the illegal market.
Navneet Bhullar, SSP of the Uttarakhand STF, said, “We are committed to taking strict action against all involved in wildlife smuggling. Our team has been working to dismantle this network operating along the Uttarakhand-UP border”.
The STF had received intelligence regarding the smuggling activities of these individuals, who had been active in wildlife organ trafficking for a considerable time. On Tuesday, a joint team led by CO STF RB Chamola, along with officials from UP STF and WCCB Delhi, carried out a raid in the CV Ganj area of Bareilly. During the raid, the smugglers were caught red-handed with two tusks weighing approximately 7 kg. The arrested individuals had reportedly been seeking buyers for the ivory, initially aiming to sell it for ₹70 lakh but hoping to raise the price to Rs 1 crore.
Aditya Vikram claimed the ivory was ancestral, passed down by his maternal grandfather. However, investigators believe the elephants may have been recently hunted. The full details, including when and where the elephant was killed, will emerge during interrogation.
Elephants are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, making their hunting a serious offense. The tusks recovered are believed to have been extracted after killing an adult elephant, a crime that can lead to severe penalties. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and further investigation is underway.
