KENDRAPARA/ MALKANGIRI: Forest officials arrested three poachers and recovered a hide and four horns of spotted deer, 15 traps and four sharp weapons from their possession at Debendranarayapur village within Bhitarkanika National Park here on Saturday night.
Assistant chief conservator of the park Manas Kumar Das said acting on a tip-off, forest officials raided two houses in Debendranarayapur village and nabbed the trio. During interrogation, the three accused admitted that they killed spotted deer and removed hide and horns from the animals. The arrested poachers - Bhagawan Samal (45), Ranjan Das (40) and Biswamitra Parida (45) - were booked under sections 9, 27, 29 and 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. On Sunday, they were produced in JMFC court at Rajnagar and remanded in judicial custody.
“Investigation is underway to ascertain if the three accused are poachers or wildlife smugglers. We believe there is a racket involved in poaching and wildlife trade. Efforts are underway to nab the smugglers,” the forest officer added.
Similarly in Malkangiri, forest officials of Mathili range on Sunday arrested a 64-year-old man for allegedly killing an Indian porcupine. Around 9.7 kg of meat and 56 quills of the dead animal were seized from the possession of the accused Madhab Chalan. A case has been registered under Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 2022, said Malkangiri ACF Monsoon Khemundu.