Rourkela: In a significant crackdown on poaching, forest officials arrested five persons on Tuesday for hunting a wild boar in the Sonaparbat Reserve Forest area near Kansar under Rourkela Forest Division.
According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jashabanta Sethi, the incident came to light on 15 February 2026, when a wild boar was found killed in the reserve forest. During the investigation, the accused admitted to hunting the animal and trapping it using specialised equipment.
“Forest officials have seized all items used in the hunt, including traps, cutting tools, and containers used to store the meat of the wild boar. This action is being taken under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Section 9 of the Act strictly prohibits the hunting of wild animals listed in Schedules I to IV. In addition, Section 39(1)(b) and (d) declare that animal articles, trophies, and vehicles or weapons used in committing offences under the Act are considered government property,” DFO Sethi stated.
The arrested persons will be produced before the court, and further investigations are underway to ensure that no additional poaching activities are occurring in the reserve forest.
