SAMBALPUR: The night patrol squad of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary arrested two suspected poachers from Labantikra village and seized peacock meat, eggs along with multiple snares, traps, mud balls used for hunting, axes, and iron knives from their house on Sunday.
The accused are Surendra Khadia (40) and his wife Rashmi Khadia (30). Forest officials said acting on a tip-off, the patrol squad raided Labantikra, located at the foothills of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, on Sunday night and nabbed the couple.
Apart from seizing the meat and hunting tools, the forest staff found a synthetic thread snare laid around a peacock nest, indicating a deliberate attempt to trap the bird during its breeding season.
The officials said peacocks, being ground-nesting birds, typically lay three to four eggs per clutch during summer, making them particularly vulnerable to poaching. During interrogation, the accused confessed that they had come across the peacock nest while collecting firewood and subsequently planned to poach the bird for its meat and sell its feathers. The couple was produced in court on Monday.
Divisional forest officer (Wildlife) Anshu Pragyan Das, said the arrests highlight the effectiveness of the informer network and community vigilance. “We have strengthened our intelligence network across villages surrounding Debrigarh. Timely information is crucial in preventing wildlife crimes, and such efforts are duly incentivised,” she said.