KENDRAPARA: Forest officials arrested two poachers and seized 50 kg of wild boar meat from their possession at Bahakuda village within Mahakalapada forest range of Bhitarkanika National Park on Thursday night.
Acting on a tip-off, the team raided a place near the forest and apprehended Benudhar Samal and Bairagi Samal of Bahakuda village. The duo confessed to have killed a wild boar along with others for consumption at a community feast to celebrate Raja festival on Friday.
“The poachers were booked under sections 9, 27, 29, and 31 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. We are conducting raids at different hideouts to nab other poachers who managed to flee from the village,” said forest range officer, Nalinikanta Behera.
On Friday, both the accused were produced in court at Rajnagar, where their bail applications were rejected. They were remanded in jail custody, forest officer added.
Forest officials are on high alert at Bhitarkanika National Park and its nearby areas to prevent poaching during the three-day-long Raja festival from June 14 to June 16. Venison is in high demand during the festive season for which the security within the areas have been beefed-up, they said. “Forest personnel are vigilant, and night patrolling has been doubled to nab other poachers involved. We are also monitoring the movement of villagers within the park and its nearby areas,” said assistant chief conservator of the park, Manas Das.