Bhitarkanika National Park forest personnel today took into custody a man, stated to be the kingpin of a poaching racket, and seized deer meat from him from the protected mangrove forest areas in Odisha's Kendrapara district.
The accused, Sukadeb Bhakta, confessed that the racket, of which he is a member, used to trap and kill wild boar and deer at regular intervals, forest officials said.
"Besides the raw meat, nets and nylon loops used for trapping the animals were seized during a raid in Batighar-Hukitola protected forest block within the core area of the national park," said Forest Range Officer, Mahakalpada, Bijoy Kumar Parida.
The 40-year-old Bhakta was intercepted from the spot while another key member of the racket managed to flee. They had spread out nylon nets with loops to ensnare the deer and wild boar, Parida said.
