Itanagar, May 13: Four people have been arrested in Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district with a rhinoceros horn valued at around Rs 1.2 crore, officials said on Wednesday.
Papum Pare Superintendent of Police (Rural) Taru Gusar said the operation was carried out on May 12 in Hollongi and adjoining areas of Assam following credible inputs about wildlife trafficking.
“One rhinoceros horn was seized during the operation,” the SP said, adding that the accused revealed the item was being smuggled for an estimated Rs 1.2 crore.
A case has been registered at the Balijan Police Station, and an investigation is underway to ascertain possible interstate or international links, Gusar said.
Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung lauded the operation and reiterated the government’s commitment to wildlife protection.
“The successful joint operation carried out by Balijan Police and the forest department against the alleged smuggling of a suspected rhino horn reflects our government’s firm commitment towards wildlife protection and organised crime prevention,” Natung said in a post on X.
He said wildlife trafficking poses a serious threat to ecological balance and the country’s natural heritage, warning that such illegal activities would continue to invite strict legal action.
According to global wildlife conservation organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, habitat loss and poaching remain major threats to rhino populations despite conservation efforts. (PTI)
