Raikia (Kandhamal): A special team of the Forest Department on Wednesday seized a leopard skin and claws and arrested 11 poachers during a surprise raid inside Badagarh forest in Karada range under Raikia block of Kandhamal district.
According to reports, the accused have been identified as Bhisma Bisoyi(60), Pari Bisoyi(50), Sunil Bisoyi(30), Utsav Dalabehera(30), Pradip Dalabehera(40), Babu Bhuyan(43), and Bhagaban Dalabehera(35) (all from Badagarh); Garib Nayak(35) of Sorada; Simanchal Nayak and Chandraketu Nayak(35) of Ranba; and Bhika Nayak(50) of K. Karadaganda.
All the accused persons have been forwarded to court following their arrests.
DFO Prasant Patel, Range Officer Biranchi Narayan Panda, ACF Malaya Ranjan Kalo and other employees of the Forest Department were part of the special team that conducted the raid.