21 Poachers Arrested, 165 Guns Seized During Crackdown In Odisha’s Similipal

Baripada: In a major crackdown, the Mayurbhanj police have arrested 21 poachers and seized 165 guns in the last two months, SP B Gangadhar informed on Wednesday.

Addressing a presser, which was attended by DGP Sunil Bansal, Gangadhar said the arrests were made during search operations at multiple locations under 14 police jurisdictions following the killing of two forest frontline personnel in Odisha’s Similipal National Park, only home to the melanistic tigers in the wild.

Apart from 165 guns, 500 gm gunpowder, raw materials, pangolin scale and deer antlers have also seized from the accused, the SP added.

Weeks after a forest guard was gunned down by hunters in the north division, armed poachers killed a field officer, Mathy Hansdah (40) , in the south division of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in the district in the early hours of June 17. The killing evoked widespread reactions with calls for more stringent security. Around 8,000 forest frontline workers, including guards, foresters and deputy rangers, across Odisha also went on a symbolic protest over the killing of two of their colleagues.

Union Minister of Environment and Forest Bhupender Yadav, in a letter, suggested to the state government to step up intelligence network, patrolling and combing operations in the area.

Following this, over 100 personnel of the Odisha Special Armed Police Force were deployed to strength patrolling there. A Special Joint Task Force (JTF) has also been formed to strengthen security inside the reserve forest. To be headed by the field director of STR, the task force will include senior forest and police officers. One company of armed constabulary (100 personnel) and 90 forest field staff including the guards of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), a specialised wing for tiger conservation will work under the JTF, said an official notification issued by the Odisha Forest department. Te key responsibilities are collecting intelligence, identifying people holding illegal arms and ammunition and de-weaponing fringe/buffer villages of the tiger reserve and to prepare a database.