GUWAHATI: The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has launched an investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of captive elephants from the Northeast to Kerela.
The development came after Alok Hasarwala Gupta, Founder of Centre for Research on Animal Rights, India, had written to the WCCB seeking a thorough probe into the matter.
“It has come to our knowledge that an established elephant trader, Omanakuttan Pillai, with a two-decade-long history of committing wildlife crimes is travelling through Arunachal, Assam and Tripura to purchase elephants and supply them for the Pooram Festival circuit to Kerala-based elephant owners,” Gupta claimed.
Following the complaint, the Eastern Region of WCCB has written to the Chief Wildlife Wardens of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura seeking information regarding illegal, commercial trading and transfer of captive elephants from Northeast to Kerela.
The WCCB, in the letter dated August 16, 2024, also sought information regarding the criminal nexus of elephant procurement agents.
The bureau has sought details of registered captive elephants in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura from the forest departments.
It has sought details regarding the number of transit permits and permissions issued for transportation and movement, including inter-state movement, of captive elephants by the forest departments during the last 3 years.
Besides, the WCCB has asked for details of the number of cases regarding illegal procurement, transportation, commercial trade, training, and transfer of captive elephants from one state to another over the past 3 years.
Further, it also sought information on the number of cases registered against elephant trader Omanakuttan Pillai and his associates during the last 5 years in elephant-related cases and also about the detection of cases by the Forest department regarding illegal capture of elephants from the forest.
Additionally, it also asked the respective forest department to provide information concerning preventive measures taken to stop illegal trade and transfer.
The WCCB has also directed the bureau of the Easter Region to constitute a committee for a detailed inquiry and submit a comprehensive report on the matter.
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Notably, the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024 mandates that “no transfer of an elephant shall be permissible unless genetic profile of the elephant has been entered in the electronic monitoring application of the Ministry of Environment , Forest & Climate Change”.
