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Rare Atlantic walrus tusk seized in Maha’s Ratnagiri, probe launched

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For the first time in India, the tusk of a rare Atlantic walrus was seized, from a coastal village in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, officials said on Thursday.

Following a confidential tip-off on August 31, Forest Department teams from Ratnagiri and Satara, along with the CI) laid a trap and nabbed three accused red-handed with the booty from Hatkhamba village.

“The three arrested are from Goa and Maharashtra. We have recovered the tusk, approximately 15-16 inches long, of an Atlantic walrus (Odobenus Rosmarus),” Honorary. Wildlife Warden Rohan Bhate, who is also Member of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), told IANS.

Teams of wildlife sleuths have been formed to conduct a nationwide operation to track the gang behind the Atlantic walrus ivory tusk smuggling, their associates, the buyers, etc.

Ratnagiri Range Forest Officer Priyanka Lagad said that this is the first-ever such seizure of a walrus tusk since these marine animals are found only in the icy shores of northern hemisphere, around 10,000 kms from here.

“The challenge before the investigations is to find how the tusk has reached Maharashtra, who are the other players, how big is the racket and what are its larger ramifications,” she said.

However, Lagad declined to reveal the exact quantity/weight of the large tusk, its market value and other details owing to operational reasons and to avoid alerting the others who could be involved in the crime.

Bhate said that following the interrogation of the accused trio, the teams will go to other Indian states and are likely to effect more seizures of wild creatures or their valuable organs.

As far as the atlantic walrus tusk’s valuation, most experts and wildlifers term it as “invaluable” and beyond comparison with the elephant tusks that are the favourite of ivory smugglers globally.

The accused smugglers nabbed were identified as M. Numan Yasin Naik, 42, of Permem, Goa, Hemant Suresh Kander, 38 of Kankavali and Rajan Dayal Pange, 58 of Malvan, both in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district.

The team has also seized a car in which the tusk was being transported to an unknown location for a sale, and all the accused have been charged under the Section 49(c), of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and CITES.

Bhate said that the laws are so stringent that besides the smugglers, any dealers in such ivory brought into the country illegally, manufacturers or buyers can be booked.

The sensitive operation was carried out under the guidance of Chief Conservator of Forests, Kolhapur D. Clement Ben, Assistant Conservator of Forests Sachin Nilakh, Divisional Forest Officer Deepak Khade, Satara Forest Range Officer Sachin Dombale and other team members.

Walrus is a huge flippered, deep-diving marine mammal, weighing over two tonnes, with the tusk measuring upto one metre long, and is found only in the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, around the North Pole, and the sub-Arctic seas in the Northern Hemisphere.

Massive hunting had depleted the walrus populations massively in the last century but their numbers are gradually increasing with protection measures by several countries in the far north.

Crime

RG Kar victim’s parents yet to secure death certificate even after six months

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Kolkata, Feb 22: Over six months have passed since the shocking rape and murder of a junior woman doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital but her parents are still to get a copy of her death certificate.

The body of the victim was recovered from a seminar hall within the premises of the state-run institution early on August 9 last year.

The victim’s parents have alleged that they have been unable to get the death certificate till now as the R.G. Kar and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities are shifting the responsibility onto each other.

According to them, the KMC authorities are claiming that since the “place of death” is R.G. Kar, it is the responsibility of the hospital authorities to provide the death certificate.

On the other, the R.G. Kar authorities claim that if a patient dies within the hospital premises or is even brought dead to the hospital, the death certificate will have to be provided by the KMC authorities, the parents added.

The victim’s parents have further claimed that although they have not got a copy of the death certificate, it has been mentioned in the court documents, as per the statement of a medical officer attached to R.G. Kar.

They now say if the death certificate is mentioned in the court documents, why was a copy of the certificate not handed over to them?

Last week, a special court in Kolkata, which had convicted and sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy in the rape and murder case, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh progress report on its investigation in the matter on February 24.

Since the special court has already pronounced the sentence for the convict in the main crime of rape and murder, legal circles feel that the fresh progress report will be related to the angle of tampering with the evidence in the case.

It is learnt that the special court had directed the CBI to submit a fresh progress report following a complaint filed by the counsel of the victim’s family accusing the central agency of not updating the court on the progress of investigation in the matter periodically.

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Crime

Ten persons arrested for attack on Congress MP, says Assam CM

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Guwahati, Feb 21: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that ten persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on Congress MP Rakibul Hussain.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma said, “The police have identified the individuals involved in the alleged incident of assault on Congress MP Sri Rakibul Hussain.”

He also mentioned that the actions will be taken as per the law.

The Dhubri MP was attacked while attending a public programme in the Nagaon district.

The Congress MP had to run from the spot wearing a helmet to save himself. The security officers of Hussain sustained minor injuries in the attack.

In a viral video, it was seen that some masked miscreants initially showed black flags to the Congress MP and after that attacked him.

In the video, Hussian was seen fleeing from the spot in a two-wheeler to save himself from the attack.

The incident that happened in the Ruporihat locality drew criticism from the opposition with Congress leaders training guns on the BJP government.

Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, launched a sharp attack on the BJP government as Congress MP Hussain was attacked on Thursday.

Gogoi said, “In Assam, a Congress Lok Sabha MP is attacked by thugs in broad daylight in a busy marketplace. The goons even attack the police security officers and try to snatch their weapons. All of this is recorded on camera. Yet the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma refuses to ensure that the thugs will be arrested immediately.”

“The Chief Minister should at least think of his constitutional duty towards Assam Police and the innocent civilians in the marketplace. If the goons had got hold of the machine gun, a terrible tragedy could have taken place. The attitude of the Chief Minister will only embolden the thieves, dacoits, smugglers and those accused of murder. Democracy is under threat and people of Assam want freedom from this gunda raj culture,” he added.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Debabrata Saikia said it was a “failure” of the police and administration.

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Crime

New India Co-operative Bank Scam: EOW Arrests Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan

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Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has made another arrest in the New India Co-operative Bank scam. Former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan has been taken into custody, making him the third accused in the case.

The Court has remanded accused into police Custody untill February 28.Bhoan’s arrest follows an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities within the bank, which allegedly led to taken place during his working period.

The authorities suspect his involvement in mismanagement and fraudulent transactions.Further investigation is underway, and officials believe that more arrests may follow in the case.

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