Bhubaneswar: In a significant breakthrough, the forest department has arrested three poachers in the Similipal Reserve Forest’s buffer area.
The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the Kaptipada forest division and the Special Tiger Response Force (STRF).
According to reports, a joint team of forest officials from Podadiha WL Range and Kaptipada Range successfully apprehended three individuals accused of poaching in the Similipal Tiger Reserve’s Noto RF. The accused were identified as Jagannath Naik, alias Jaga, from Manabhanga, Budhiram Sing alias Kalia, from Pagdadiha and Kuanr Murmu from Gandidhar.
One suspect, Budhiram Nayak, managed to escape and is currently absconding.
The arrested poachers were found in possession of three firearms, which have been seized by the Forest officials.
It is learnt that the breakthrough came after an AI trailguard camera deployed inside the reserve captured images of the accused, which led to their identification and subsequent arrest
