Police and forest department officials have recovered a female elephant stolen from Jharkhand and allegedly sold in Bihar, uncovering an inter-state wild life trafficking racket.

The operation in Amnaur, Saran district, uncovered the racket reportedly involving business partners.

The case was registered when one Narendra Kumar Shukla of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, lodged a complaint at Medininagar Sadar police station on September 12, reporting that his elephant had gone missing along with its mahout.

Shukla stated that he and his three partners had purchased the elephant for Rs 40 lakh, but the others, in collusion with the mahout, sold it without his knowledge.

Further 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.

Police traced the animal after receiving 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.

A case has been registered and investigations are on. 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 inter-state coordination in tackling the clandestine wildlife trade.