Forest officials on Tuesday night seized four kilograms of molar teeth of an elephant, five deer horns and a live chameleon and arrested two persons on the charge of poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Jajpur district.
Forest Range Officer of Jajpur Road Debendra Kumar Patnaik arrested the persons identified as Sidharth Raj (23) of Nilgiri in Baleswar district and Dibyalochan Sahoo (22) of Jajpur Road.The molar teeth of the elephant, deer horns and the chameleon had apparently been brought from the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Baleswar district.
The accused persons were trying to sell the wildlife items. Police arrested them when they came to Bhikipur village under the Jajpur Road Forest Range to sell the items.
Police suspected that a gang of smugglers involved in such trade were trying to reach out to prospective buyers through the arrested duo. A case was been registered against the two under Sections 39, 44, 48, 49 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.