71 Guns Seized During Crackdown On Illegal Firearms, Poachers In Odisha’s Similipal

Baripada: In a major crackdown on poachers, at least 71 guns were seized during second phase of raids from different areas pf Similipal sanctuary in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Tuesday.

According to preliminary reports, the raids were carried out by the personnel of forest department and district police in several areas of the sanctuary.

It may be noted here that as many as 156 country-made guns were seized and over 26 poachers arrested during the first phase of the special operation conducted in August, this year. With this, the total number of guns seized from the sanctuary has gone up to 227.

The police have tightened the noose around poachers and intensified search operations at multiple locations under 14 police jurisdictions following the killing of two forest frontline personnel a few months ago in Similipal National Park, only home to the melanistic tigers in the wild.

Three platoons of police force were deployed in the jungle to nab the poachers roaming scot-free and killing wild animals with impunity in the sanctuary.

Notably, around 8,000 forest frontline workers, including guards, foresters and deputy rangers, across Odisha had gone on a symbolic protest over the killing of two of their colleagues.

Union Minister of Environment and Forest Bhupender Yadav, in a letter, had also 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. The 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.