Five poachers arrested in Sundargarh district | Bhubaneswar News
Rourkela: Forest officials arrested five poachers and seized multiple wildlife trophies during a joint operation conducted by Bonai and Kuliposh range teams in Sundargarh district on Friday.The operation, led by Bonai divisional forest officer (DFO), Lalit Kumar Patra, resulted in the arrest of Brundaban Naik (23), Dasu Naik (26), Jethu Naik (48), Sukanta Naik (23), and Dhaneswar Munda (43), all residents of Lahunipada police jurisdiction.Officials seized seven country-made guns, along with trophies of Indian crested porcupine and barking deer. The contraband included deer meat and skin, monitor lizard skin, wild boar hair, gunpowder, and traditional hunting equipment.“The suspects were under surveillance for several months,” said Patra. “This operation’s success reflects our team’s dedication to protecting wildlife.”The accused were also allegedly involved in manufacturing country-made guns for poaching. Forest officials are conducting further investigations to uncover potential wildlife trafficking networks in the region.“We will continue to monitor such activities and work towards safeguarding our forests and wildlife,” Patra added.
