Bhubaneswar: Authorities at Similipal Tiger Reserve (North) arrested three individuals on Thursday for possessing wildlife items, including 11 pieces of elephant bones, during enforcement operations in and around the reserve. Officials stated that the accused had collected the bone pieces from the carcass of a 50-year-old female elephant that died of natural causes inside the reserve. The carcass had been left for natural scavenging as part of standard forest management practice.
AI Camera Leads to Breakthrough
The case was detected with the help of an infra-red smart AI camera installed by the Similipal authorities. Officials noted that the camera inputs enabled them to identify the suspects and crack the case in approximately 10 days after the bones were allegedly removed.
Arrests and Seizures
The arrested individuals were identified as Dasmat Murmu (43), Shankar Murmu (56), and Pandu Soren (38). Following their arrests, Similipal Tiger Reserve (North) staff conducted search operations at the houses and premises linked to the accused. During the searches, officials seized 11 pieces of elephant bones along with hunting materials and tools. The seized items included seven bows, seven arrows, an axe, a spade, a plastic bag, and eight bundles of bird traps.
Legal Proceedings
The accused trio have been booked under relevant provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. After being produced before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Mayurbhanj, they were remanded in judicial custody. Authorities confirmed that further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused were involved in other wildlife offences and to determine any wider links connected to the possession of the bones and hunting materials.
