Wildlife smuggler arrested in Uttarakhand with 2 elephant tusks

RUDRAPUR: The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF), in coordination with the Khatima forest range and forest security force, arrested an interstate wildlilfe smuggler with two elephant tusks in Udham Singh Nagar district's Khatima area on Tuesday evening.The accused, Uttam Singh, 32, a resident of Nagwanath in Khatima, was apprehended during a joint operation led by STF CO RB Chamola and STF Kumaon Unit (Anti-Narcotics Task Force) inspector Pawan Swaroop.The ivory was being transported on a motorcycle. Officials said Singh had been involved in the illegal wildlife trade for a long time.SSP STF Navneet Bhullar said, "We had been receiving inputs about smuggling of wildlife parts across the Uttarakhand-UP-Nepal border. Acting on a tip-off, our team coordinated with forest officials and raided a location in Khatima, leading to the arrest and recovery."Singh is being interrogated to trace the origin of the tusks and determine whether the elephant was poached in Uttarakhand or elsewhere. Elephant hunting is a serious offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, as the species is listed under Schedule I.A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway. Bhullar appealed to the public, saying, "If you have any information about wildlife smuggling, please inform the nearest police station or call STF Uttarakhand."