Nuapada/Khariar: Forest department officials Friday arrested five wildlife poachers from Dabri village under Khariar block in Nuapada district and seized a leopard skin and teeth along with other wildlife parts. The seized items include sambar horn, quill of kite, a country-made gun, firecrackers, bows and arrows and wooden planks, informed Khariar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Aziz Khan addressing a presser in his office Friday.
The accused persons have been identified as Birachana Majhi, 26, Jayaram Majhi, 44, Gorekh Lal, 65, Purna Majhi, 23, and Sachindra Majhi, 19. Two others are absconding, informed the DFO. According to information, some villagers of Dabri had killed and skinned a leopard after it was caught in a snare atop a hill near Dabri village. The Forest department was investigating the matter for long and acting on a tip-off, conducted a search operation at two houses in the village Friday. It is pertinent to mention here that poaching of wild animals has been on rise at Khariar and Sinapali areas in the district. Special attention will be given towards the protection of the wild animals, the DFO said. ACF Prasanjit Naik, Ranger Sanskruta Badnaik and Forest department employees were present during the press conference.