SAMBALPUR: The forest officials of Hirakud Wildlife Division on Sunday arrested three poachers from inside the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary while they were out for poaching. The officials of the forest department have also seized one country-made gun besides weapons including knife, axe and matchsticks from the possession of the accused identified as Subhas Gardia (47) of village Kuketira, Raghupati Dharua (52) and Digambar Sahu (46) of Rengali, all from Bargarh district.
On getting information about the movement of the poachers from the Kuketira and Rengali side to the sanctuary area, a team of forest officials including the forester, a lady forest guard and 10 squads intensified patrolling in the area.
At around 2 am, when the patrolling team was near the Rengali beat on the periphery of the sanctuary, it came across the poachers. When the team members went ahead to nab them, the poachers fired at the forest officials and tried to escape. However, the team managed to nab them after a brief chase.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Hirakud Wildlife Division, Anshu Pragyan Das said, “The intention of the poachers was to sell the meat and animal trophies like skin and horns.” From preliminary investigation, it was revealed that country-made guns were procured by the poachers from Meghpal and Basupali near Kisinda area of Sambalpur district and the gunpowder was made locally in their village, she added.
The three accused were forwarded to court at Attabitra in Bargarh district. Further investigation into the matter is underway.