Dhenkanal: In a significant crackdown on wildlife crime, Forest Department officials in Dhenkanal arrested five poachers near Kankadahada petrol pump under the Kamakshanagar Eastern Range on Thursday.
The operation, led by Range Officer Kailash Chandra Sahu, resulted in the seizure of an SUV, weapons, 10 kilograms of wild boar meat, and a dead monitor lizard.
The accused, identified as Bikram Munda, Dikul Munda, Bharat Munda, Saroj Munda, and Turam Munda, all residents of Purujoda village were apprehended while transporting illegally hunted animals from the Hindol Kudiakateni area toward Telkoi. The Forest Department, acting on a tip-off, had set up a trap to intercept the poachers.
A striking revelation from the operation was the poachers’ use of trained dogs to track and hunt wild animals, highlighting a sophisticated method of hunting. The accused will be produced in the court.
