BARIPADA: Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Baripada Debasish Mohanty sentenced two suspected poachers to four years of imprisonment for hunting spotted deer in Similipal sanctuary.
The CJM court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convicts, Nirmal Birua (27) and Prem Munda (35) of Badjunpal village within Kaptipada police limits. Both of them were arrested in June 2020 for hunting spotted deer under section 51 (1) (c) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The convicts had entered Similipal near Baghaanta forest and killed a spotted deer on June 23, 2020. They were arrested the next day and two bows, 12 arrows, an axe, plastic carry bag, mobile phone, two torch lights, bill hook and six kg of spotted deer meat were seized from their possession.
Deputy director of Similipal Tiger Reserve’s South Wildlife Division Samrat Gowda said it is the third incident of poachers of Similipal getting convicted. “We are not only arresting poachers but also making efforts to prepare proper case records so that stricter punishment is handed out to wildlife offenders,” he added.