UP: 2 poachers held in Lakhimpur Kheri

Two poachers were arrested in Palia town here while they were attempting to smuggle a tusk of an elephant to some unidentified location, a forest department official said on Sunday.

The poachers were identified as Vakil Ahmad and Govind of Tikunia police station area.

Field director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) and chief conservator of forest Sanjay Kumar Pathak told PTI, ''Acting upon an information, Dudhwa forest officials' team laid a siege on Palia-Dudhwa road and nabbed the two poachers. When searched, a tusk of an elephant wrapped in a sack was recovered from them.'' The tusk measured 69 centimeters in length and about 4.5 kg in weight, he said, adding that elephant is a protected wildlife species and its poaching and trading of its body parts is a serious offence. ''A case has been registered against them under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and the Indian Forest Act. Both the accused have been sent to jail,'' the field director added. PTI CORR NAV RDT RDT

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