Smuggling bid foiled, 26 geckos rescued; 2 held

Guwahati: Police in Guwahati foiled a smuggling attempt, rescuing 26 live geckos and arresting two individuals in the Betkuchi area of the city.Acting on intelligence received by Guwahati police commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta, a specialised tactical team was assembled to intercept the smugglers. Under the commissioner’s guidance, the operation was executed on Saturday night near the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Bathoupuri, Betkuchi, close to the Bathou Temple.During the raid, police intercepted and apprehended two suspects. Upon a thorough search of their belongings, officials discovered a cruel concealment method — 26 live geckos were individually packed into bamboo tubes, locally known as sungas.“Each bamboo tube was meticulously wrapped with netting and cotton cloth and contained one live Gecko (Keko). The accused were found to be illegally transporting these reptiles for the explicit purpose of wildlife smuggling,” said Gorchuk police station OC Vikram Basumatary.During the operation, the team arrested two persons, identified as Ikramul Hussain of Nagaon district and Jamiruddin of Barpeta district.The officer said necessary legal action has been initiated. “Investigation will unearth their intended destination,” he added.