Six held in connection with seizure of wildlife materials

Six persons were arrested in Chikkamagaluru district and a huge cache of wildlife materials, including ivory and horns, seized from them, forest officials said today.

Acting on a tip-off about a person on the lookout for clients to sell some ivory, Chikkamagaluru forest officials laid a trap and nabbed Santosh Kumar, a resident ofAbbigere in Shivamogga district, yesterday, they said.

Forest officials then arrested Kaniyappa, Satish, R Shetu, all from Shivamogga, T E Ravi andhis brother Lakshman from Tarikere, the same day, the officials said.

The seized materials include four kg ivory, 4.5 kg gaur horn and 16.5 kgdeer horn.

"They have a wide networkspread up to Delhi. They have international links too," Deputy conservator of forest H C Kantharaju told PTI.

Kumar also used to visit Tamil Nadu frequently where he allegedly had links with some smugglers dealingwith wildlife materials.

A few more persons involved in the racket are absconding.

"A detailed interrogation is required as this is a very big gang," Kantharaju said.