Baripada: A Joint Task Force of Mayurbhanj Police have seized as many as 71 country-made guns in Similipal foothills, Mayurbhanj SP B Gangadhar informed Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference held at Mayurbhanj district police office, Gangadhar informed that 71 country-made guns were seized from several villages under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations adjoining Similipal. One of the seized weapons is an air pistol.
A pair of deer antlers has also been seized. Besides, around 32 cases have been registered under the Wildlife Act across 13 police stations, but no arrests have been made so far, the SP added.
“Further search operations will continue. All the elected representatives, including the local sarpanchs, will inform the police if they get to know about poachers or poaching. Otherwise, they will also be held liable for violation of wildlife laws,” the SP informed.
With this success, a total of 236 locally manufactured guns have been seized and 21 accused have been arrested in 80 cases.
In a span of last two months, the Forest Department along with Mayurbhanj Police have launched a second round of search operations.
The Joint Task Force’s success came at a time when the search operation was underway after two forest officials were shot dead by poachers in Similipal Tiger Reserve this year.
Following the assassination of the forest officials, Mayurbhanj Police June 18 launched a search operation to seize firearms in villages adjacent to the forest in order to free Similipal from poaching as well as poachers.
Afterwards, a massive public awareness campaign was organised across 12 police stations adjoining Similipal to encourage locals to surrender country-made firearms. During this period, 165 guns, bullets, a gun manufacturing factory, pangolin skin, Rs2.95 lakh in cash, mobile phones, carcasses and meat of various wildlife animals were seized.
Additionally, a total of 40 cases were registered regarding various wildlife offences. Based on this, 21 accused were arrested and were later produced before a court.
Earlier, all the seized guns, weapons and other wildlife materials were displayed at Reserve Police Office in the presence of Odisha Director General of Police Sunil Kumar Bansal August 9. The DGP had lauded the success of Mayurbhanj Police.
Bansal had then said that the Joint Task Force set up with the Forest Department would take more steps to protect Similipal. He also asserted that Similipal is not only of Mayurbhanj, but that it belongs to all of Odisha.
PNN