2 elephant tusks seized from pet shop, 7 arrested

Two elephant tusks were seized from a pet shop near Pollachi in the district and seven people, including a sanitation worker and Anti-Poaching Watcher arrested on Wednesday, forest department officials said.

Acting on a tip off, the officials from Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (Southern Region) went to the shop at Shanmughapuram, posing as prospective customers last night.

A few forest officials also joined the team, and recovered the tusks kept concealed there and questioned the owner.

Based on his reply, the APW and the sanitation worker, who reportedly removed the tusks from an elephant carcass and five others were arrested, a department release said.