Noida, August 13: Four people have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district after they were allegedly found smuggling elephant tusks worth more than Rs 1 crore, police officials said on Saturday.
The accused were held on Friday night in the Redhar police station area of the district, bordering Madhya Pradesh, the officials said. "A team of Redhar police station busted the inter-district gang engaged in smuggling of elephant tusks. Four accused were arrested and 16 kg ivory, which is estimated worth Rs 1.10 crore in international market was seized from them," Jalaun Superintendent of Police Ravi Kumar said. World Elephant Day 2022: PM Narendra Modi Lauds Efforts of Elephant Conservationists, Says a Large Effort Underway To Minimize Human-Animal Conflict.
Those arrested were identified as Udhav Prasad and Ameen, both from Varanasi, Shaqeel, a native of Hamirpur, and Mushtaq, who hails from Banda, the SP said.
"The police have also seized Rs 1.24 lakh cash from their possession and a car they were travelling in has been impounded," Kumar added.
Further necessary legal action was being taken in the case, the police said. On August 12 -- World Elephant Day -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reiterated India's commitment to protecting elephants and noted that the country is home to about 60 per cent of all Asian elephants.
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