Itanagar: A convoy connected to Vantara, the Ambani-owned private wildlife facility in Jamnagar, crossed the Dirok check gate into Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday. The group included two specialized elephant transport containers and two support vehicles carrying a veterinary team. One container carried the registration number GJ 10 1-17196. The vehicles moved toward Chongkham in the Namsai district to gather elephants near the Manabhum and Tengapani Reserve Forests.
The arrival caused immediate alarm. Past relocations from this area drew heavy criticism for a lack of transparency. An anonymous wildlife activist from Tinsukia alleged that officials with deep political ties facilitate these transfers. "A senior wildlife activist from Tinsukia, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that obtaining statutory approvals and transport clearances for elephants would be difficult without the support of influential individuals enjoying political patronage."
Critics claim the scheme involves purchasing captured wild elephants for Rs 30 lakh and reselling them to Vantara for Rs 70 lakh after faking ownership documents. Local sources indicate that trained captive elephants are used to trap wild ones in areas like Mabira village, which sits on a traditional corridor. With captive elephant stocks falling, fears grow that wild herds are now the primary target for illegal capture.
Reports suggest a local panchayat leader close to Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein is managing the logistics. Additionally, Vantara representatives allegedly visited the region recently to donate at the Parshuram Kund Temple. The Forest Department faces mounting pressure to clarify the convoy’s purpose. Activists want an independent probe into whether these operations violate the Wildlife Protection Act and standard scientific protocols.
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