Assam: Man Caught with Elephant Tooth and Owl Skull near India-Bhutan Border

Guwahati, 22 August 2025 – In a significant crackdown on wildlife crime, a man was arrested near the India-Bhutan border in Assam’s Kamrup district for possessing illegal wildlife body parts, including an elephant tooth and an owl skull, officials confirmed on Thursday.

The arrest took place on August 21 during a joint operation carried out by the Shashtra Seema Bal (SSB), local police, and forest personnel near the Guabari border outpost.

Accused handed over to forest department for further legal action

The accused, identified as Som Hansda, was apprehended on the Indian side of the border by personnel of the 24th Battalion of the SSB, led by Commandant H K Gupta.

A search of Hansda’s belongings revealed an elephant molar tooth, wild boar teeth and hair, an owl skull, and bones of other unidentified wild animals. These items are suspected to be part of illegal wildlife trade, which remains a persistent challenge in border areas.

Hansda has since been handed over to the forest department at Kumarikata for further investigation and legal proceedings under relevant wildlife protection laws.

The SSB stated that they regularly engage with local communities in border regions, encouraging them to report suspicious activities related to wildlife trafficking or smuggling.

This arrest highlights ongoing efforts to curb illegal trade in wildlife parts along sensitive international borders, where enforcement remains both challenging and critical.