Bhitarkanika national park authorities in Odisha's Kendrapara district today busted a wildlife poaching racket by arresting six members of the gang near Barunei reserve forest area.
While poaching attempt was foiled following timely interception by forest personnel, two pet dogs specially trained to chase deer and wild boar were caught by the anti-poaching squad.�
The racket members flanked by hunting dogs had made their way into the forest with poaching implements when forest personnel acting on a tip-off intercepted them in the core forest area, forest officials said.
The accused persons were identified as Bidyadha Samal, Bhanj Kishore Jena, Basudev Barik, Subrat Kumar Rout, Trilochan Barin and Suraj Kumar Khatua. The racket was active within the national park area for quite sometime, they said.�
With ground-level forest staff on indefinite stir and skipping duty demanding pay hike, the forest patrolling squad has turned skeletal exposing the deer and wild boar species in particular to poachers' net.
"Despite reduced manpower following strike by foresters and forest guards, the department is on the alert to curb wildlife poaching. Local youths have been engaged besides the forest development committees who are playing a key role to check poaching, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove(wildlife) Forest Officer, Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.�
Arrested offenders have confessed to the fact that killing deer and wild boar is a seasonal business particularly during the winter months.
