Dimapur Police arrests one person for possessing rhino horn worth INR 1.5 crore

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Sep. 17 (EMN): Dimapur Police arrested one person for illegal possession of a rhino horn, claimed to be worth around INR 1.5 crore, on September 8 in Duncan Basti.

It was announced on Thursday, September 17, nine days after the arrest.

According to Dimapur Police, 36-year-old Peter Lotha was arrested by a special police team after receiving inputs that a rhino horn was being sold for INR 45 lakh.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, the public relations officer (PRO) of Dimapur Police, Relo Aye, informed that the accused had attempted to escape but was arrested after a brief chase in the commercial hub.

The ‘international value’ of the horn is estimated to be at INR 1.5 crore, he informed.

A press statement from the police informed that the horn weighs 440 gram, and measures 27 centimetres in length. 

A case has been registered against the accused at West Police Station under the Wildlife Protection Act, Prevention of Damage of Public Property Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The wildlife warden of Dimapur, H Tokaho Kinimi, said that this arrest was ‘a major one’, as no such seizures have been made even though poachers continue to indulge in such business.

Kinimi said that Dimapur is usually the transit point for poachers to transport the items, mostly to Burma, after which the items make its way to other Southeast Asian countries.

“Our borders are so porous that checking them at every checkpoint is not enough; they don’t come through the normal check gates,” informed Kinimi.

“Their network consists of a very organised system and people; they have experience in this field and must be poaching around Kaziranga even though there is a shoot-at-sight order for poachers there,” said Kinimi, adding that the poachers are ready to risk their lives.