*Representational Picture Courtesy Vivek Singh-Blogger

When two men were arrested and sent to jail yesterday,they attracted a crowd of curious onlookers.The public verdict was that they were in a group of five tusk smugglers.Three of them were evading arrest.

The truth dawned on them when Palamau Tiger Reserve(PTR) Director M.P.Singh and Deputy Director A.K.Mishra informed that the forest officials,acting on a tip off,have arrested two hunters Beniphas Khalko and Abraham Khalko.They were among five hunters who had  shot dead 
the 40-year-old tusker at PTR on October 10.

The carcass was found submerged in a watering hole inside PTR's core area.A PTR staff and Vet Dr Chandan Govind Deo who performed the autopsy said one bullet had pierced the back of the animal's right ear and hit the brain.

The FIR and post mortem report indicate that the wild elephant was shot dead from a close range.Apart from Beniphas and Abraham who allegedly shot them dead,three others -Rafel Khalko,Kamal Oraon and Kameshwar Oraon- were involved in the smuggling of skin,bones and tusk of elephants.

Notably,the sleuths had recovered two guns,skin,deer buck and tusk of elephants from the possession of Beniphas and Abraham.Their partners -Rafel,Kamal and Kameshwar -were not arrested till date. 

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