October 1, 2025
RANCHI – Palamu police have recovered a female elephant stolen from Jharkhand and illegally sold in Bihar, exposing a cross-state wildlife trafficking case involving betrayal by business partners. The elephant, named Jayamati, was rescued from Amnaur in Saran district with the help of local police and the forest department.
The case began when Narendra Kumar Shukla of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, lodged a complaint at Medininagar Sadar police station on 12 September, reporting that his elephant had gone missing along with its mahout. Shukla stated that he and three partners had purchased the elephant for Rs 40 lakh, but the others, in collusion with the mahout, sold it without his knowledge. Investigations revealed that the animal was sold to Gorakh Singh of Amnaur for Rs 27 lakh, despite its estimated value being placed at nearly Rs 1 crore in the FIR.
Police traced the animal after receiving confidential information and used a tracking chip embedded in the elephant to confirm its location. Acting on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police, Palamu, a team reached Chapra and secured the elephant with the assistance of the local forest authorities.
The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and investigation is continuing into the role of the partners and the mahout. For now, the elephant has been seized and placed in interim custody of the buyer under legal procedure.
The incident has raised questions about the thriving but illegal trade of elephants across Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, where the animals are often treated as commercial assets despite strict wildlife protection laws. Authorities say the recovery highlights both the challenges and possibilities of interstate coordination in tackling the clandestine wildlife trade.