BALASORE: Forest personnel arrested five persons for allegedly poaching in Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary here and seized a country-made gun and other weapons from their possession on Saturday night.
While four of the accused are residents of Oupada area in Balasore, one is from Sarat in Mayurbhanj district. Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of Kuldiha sanctuary Subrat Behera said on April 28, a group of armed poachers entered Chamchata beat of the sanctuary and stole around 15 trap cameras in a bid to destroy evidence of their illegal activities. However, their images were captured by hidden spy cameras, which helped forest officials identify them.
When the accused entered Chamchata beat again on Saturday night, forest personnel nabbed them and seized a country-made gun, axes, horns, bows and arrows, and materials used to make firearms from them. During interrogation, the accused confessed to stealing the trap cameras.