BARIPADA: Poaching of the melanistic tiger has prompted the State Police to join forces with the Similipal tiger reserve management as both agencies have launched intensive combing in the tiger habitat to drive away hunters.
Two platoon forces from the armed police reserve (APR) teamed up with the forest staff to conduct flag march and mobile patrolling in the tiger reserve on Thursday.
DIG Satyajit Naik said, about 90 forest staff who had received fire-arm training from the police were joined by the two platoons APR force from both Balasore and Mayurbhanj to strengthen the protection of STR.’
The joint squad will patrol sensitive areas of both the buffer and the core zones of the tiger reserve. The forest department on Wednesday nabbed four persons who were in possession of the skin of a melanistic tiger.
At least 100 AI cameras along have been installed in several locations of Similipal tiger reserve beside deployment of 800 security men including ex-army personnel.