Thodupuzha: The Kerala Forest Department has arrested three persons with statues made of ivory.
Thodupuzha Anjiri Palakkunnel Johns (56), Injiyani Kelath Kuriakose (47) and Madakkathanam Pulkunnel Krishnan (60) have been held for possessing and trying to sell two ivory idols, each one foot tall.
The Forest Department Vigilance Flying Squad sleuths held the trio while they were trying to sell the ivory figurines under the guise of antique artefacts.
The idols were kept at the house owned by Johns in Injiyani.
The Forest officials got in touch with the accused as ‘potential buyers’ to buy the idols and trapped the trio. The sleuths reached in civilian clothes after fixing the deal for Rs 25 lakhs and arrested them.
According to the statement given by the accused, they got the ivory to make the statues from an influential man in Thodupuzha, the Forest department officers informed. The accused persons had a sack full of articles that looked like antique artefacts.
