SIVASAGAR, Dec 28 - Six persons involved in the killing of two adult female wild Asian elephants through electrocution at Digholdorioli area near Desungmukh on December 25 night have been arrested by a Forest team of Sivasagar.
It may mentioned here that elephant is a Schedule I species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
A case has been registered by Sivasagar Forest Range under Sivasagar Territorial Forest Division against all the six accused for violation of the provisions of the Section-9 R/W Section-2 (16) and (35) and Section-52 and punishable as per Section-51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 along with Assam Amendment Act, 2009.
The arrested accused had caused the death of two elephants by laying illegal electric fencing around an area of illegal cultivation of rabi crop in grazing land in the outskirts of the Panidihing Bird Sanctuary.
All the six accused persons were apprehended on December 26, on the day of detection of the wildlife offence by the Forest team from Sivasagar Forest Division and arrested on December 27 after a thorough interrogation. They were produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Sivasagar and sent to judicial custody.
The arrested persons are � Bulbul Gogoi (29), Manoj Gogoi (29), Ankur Gogoi (25), Runjun Chetia (40), Amar Gogoi (25) and Pankaj Gogoi (28).
Material evidences were seized from the field while preliminary report by the Veterinary Officer after conducting an on-the-spot post-mortem showed signs of electrocution in both the elephants.
It may be noted that the Wildlife (Protection) Assam Amendment Act, 2009 provides enhanced punishment as well as penalty and is triable in a sessions court.
Stern action taken by the Forest department has been appreciated by the nature lovers here.
