Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Friday arrested nine persons and seized a deer hide, venison and sharp weapons from their possession.
Acting on a tip-off about a person of Firikinali village possessing illegal firearms, a team from Chandaka police station raided the village this morning and arrested Ganda Hembra (37) alias Gedu and seized a country-made gun, some ammunition and 2 kg of wild animal meat from his possession.
Following his interrogation, police later conducted another raid with the Forest staffers and apprehended seven receivers of wild animal meat and the arms supplier and seized one country-made gun, gun powder, 10 pieces of lead, 11 kg of venison, hide of a spotted deer and a bhujali from their possession.
The other arrestees have been identified as Nirmal Srichandan (37) alias Nirei, Kanhei Nayak (24), Anil Chemi (22) alias Banka and Pradyumna Sahoo (38) of Simulipatana village, Srikant Samantaray (31), Tarunkanta Samantaray (32), Bikash Kumar Pradhan (38) and Jagamohjan Mangaraj (33) of Chandaka village.
They were later forwarded to court.
Police have handed over the deer hide and venison to the Forest Department for follow-up action under the Wildlife Act.