TIRUCHY: Thanjavur forest officials arrested five persons who attempted to sell the horn of a rhinoceros on Tuesday.

According to sources, the Tamil Nadu Forest and Wild Control Bureau in Chennai and Ramanathapuram received information about a gang that attempting to sell the smuggled rhino horn in Kumbakonam. In turn, the officials alerted Kumbakonam forest ranger Ponnusany who along with a team went to a hotel at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam and conducted a search at a room where the gang was found negotiating with another group for selling the rhino horn.

The foresters seized the rhino horn which the smugglers were planning to sell for Rs 20 lakh.

The team also arrested the five-member gang, who were identified as Kaliaperumal (80) from Kattumavadi in Nagapattinam who used to serve in the Navy, Haja Moideen (76) from Tiruvarur, Senthil Kumar (45) from Thiruneelakudi near Kumbakonam, Thennarasan (47) from Thirunageswaram, and Vijayakumar (57) from Pazhavathankattalai.

Initial investigation revealed that Kaliaperumal had bought the rhino horn in 1982 while he was serving in the Navy. It was later found that Kaliaperumal was approached by the four other persons who after negotiation were ready to offer Rs 20 lakh for the rhino horn.

Subsequently, the five men were produced before a court and lodged in prison.