Kotdwar, Nov 2 Five elephant tusks weighing more than 35 kilograms were discovered missing from the Laldhang range office in the Pauri Garhwal district, and a departmental inquiry into the matter has been initiated, officials said on Monday.
The discovery was made by forest officers in Lansdowne Forest Division on Saturday, as an audit of the seized or recovered elephant tusks is currently underway across all range offices in the state following the Central Zoo Authority’s directives.
The five missing tusks weighed a total of 35.41 kilograms, according to officials.
A departmental inquiry committee, chaired by the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Haridwar Forest Division, has been constituted, officials said, adding that a zero FIR was registered at the Yamkeshwar police station, but the case is now being transferred to the Kotdwar police station.
Acting on the orders of the Pauri Garhwal SSP, a team from the Kotdwar Special Operations Group visited the site to conduct an inspection.
Earlier, a meeting of senior forest officials was held on Saturday at the Lachhiwala Forest Rest House to discuss the matter, and the inquiry committee was formed at the time.
The Lansdowne Forest Division DFO has sought an explanation from three personnel regarding the theft, officials said.
Sources said the tusks in question went missing on October 18 after the store of the range office was shifted, and a team was trying to locate them by questioning locals, but to no avail.
(PTI News)
