BARIPADA: Four persons were arrested from the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) on Tuesday for allegedly attempting to enter the forest to hunt wild animals. Security personnel seized four country-made guns from them.
The accused are Mahadev Singh (24) of Tarajodi village, and Sunaram Singh (40) and Gora Singh (44), both residents of Jhinei.
Deputy director of Similipal South Wildlife division Sumit Kar said the trio was found entering the forest through AI-enabled camera traps installed inside the reserve, following which the enforcement team intercepted them. The team seized four country-made firearms from the accused. Officials also recovered a spotted deer antler from the house of one of the accused.
Kar said after their bail pleas were rejected, the accused were remanded in judicial custody under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. A separate case will also be registered against the accused under the Arms Act for possession of illegal firearms.