Elephant Smuggling-INDIA : Elephant detained at checkpost

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The Telegraph, Calcutta, India. Friday, september 02, 2005

web link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050902/asp/siliguri/story_5185055.asp

 

Elephant detained at checkpost

AVIJIT SINHA

Jalpaiguri, Sept. 1: After Meghlal and Fulmati, it is now Gulabi's

turn.

 

Yesterday, forest officials detained the 40-year-old elephant and her

mahout at the checkpost on the other side of the Teesta, near here,

on the suspicion that the animal was being trafficked.

 

Ganar Paswan, the mahout accompanying the elephant, which was on it

way from Assam to Siwangunj of Bihar to attend the animal fair at

Sonpur, has not been able to produce the necessary documents.

 

This is the third incident of elephant detention at Teesta checkpost

in the past three years. " Earlier, Meghlal and Fulmati were rescued

while being trafficked. They are now at Gorumara National Park, " said

Tapas Das, the divisional forest officer (wildlife), Jalpaiguri. " We,

however, cannot confirm right now if Gulabi was being trafficked. Our

counterparts in Assam has been contacted. "

 

Forest officials alleged that the registration number of the elephant

on paper had not matched with that on the microchip. " The mahout did

not have any transit pass neither a no no-objection certificate from

the chief wildlife warden of Assam. Also, no certificate from any

government vet was with him, " an official said.

 

Paswan said one Arun Singh of Siwangunj has purchased the elephant

from Guwahati. " He has recruited me to take it to his home. I agreed

to the job for Rs 4,000. "

 

Investigations conducted by the forest department have revealed that

one M.L. Doley of Arunachal Pradesh, who had captured Gulabi (then a

wild elephant) from nearby forests in 1966-67 had sold it to Ramsing

Doley, a resident of Guwahati. Few days ago, Ramsing sold it to Arun

Singh of Bihar.

 

Ranjit Singh, Arun's brother, who reached Jalpaiguri today, said: " We

had bought it for Rs 2 lakh. We have all the documents and we feel

the problem will be sorted out soon. "