In a major crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF), in coordination with forest officials, arrested an alleged interstate wildlife smuggler in possession of two elephant tusks on Tuesday evening in the Khatima area of Udham Singh Nagar district.
The accused, Uttam Singh, 32, a resident of Nagwanath in Khatima, was caught transporting the tusks on a motorcycle. The arrest was made during a joint operation led by STF CO RB Chamola and STF Kumaon Unit (Anti-Narcotics Task Force) inspector Pawan Swaroop, in collaboration with the Khatima forest range and the forest security force.
STF SSP Navneet Bhullar confirmed that Singh had been under the radar for his alleged long-term involvement in the illegal wildlife trade. “We had been receiving intelligence on wildlife part smuggling across the Uttarakhand-UP-Nepal border. Acting on a credible tip-off, we launched a raid in Khatima that led to this arrest and the recovery of the tusks,” said Bhullar.
The seized ivory is being investigated to determine its origin and whether the elephant was poached within Uttarakhand or smuggled from another state or country. Authorities emphasized that elephant poaching is a grave crime under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, as elephants are listed under Schedule I, which offers them the highest level of legal protection.
A case has been filed against Uttam Singh, and interrogation is ongoing to uncover potential links to a larger trafficking network. STF has appealed to the public to report any wildlife crime by contacting the nearest police station or calling the STF directly.
