Odisha Forest Officials Nab Alleged Poaching Quartet

Forest officials arrested four poachers for attempting to set fire in a jungle in Odisha's Ganjam district. Weapons and equipment were seized from the accused, who face charges of poaching wild animals. Patrolling efforts have been increased in the area to prevent further incidents.

Forest personnel in Odisha have arrested four people who were allegedly trying to poach wild animals by setting fire in a jungle in Ganjam district, officials said on Monday.

The accused were held on Sunday night while they were trying to torch a portion of the jungle in the Gajalabai reserve forest of the Sorada range in the district.

Two country-made guns, an axe, torchlight, rope, a mobile phone and four motorcycles were seized from their possession, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Ghumusar South Division, B K Acharya, said.

The accused were identified as Niku Pradhan (20), Hiroj Pradhan (23), Saniya Pradhan (24) and Pramod Pradhan (32) of Basabali village near Daringbadi in Kandhamal district, he said.

During patrolling in the reserve forest area, the forest staff, including the anti-poaching squad, tracked down the four accused.

The accused were suspected to be in the forest to kill wild animals after setting fire in the area, he added.

The DFO said patrolling was further intensified in the forest area after the arrest of the four people.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)