Kendrapara: Forest personnel of Kanika forest range Thursday arrested a taxidermist and seized 10 kg of raw venison, one spotted deer head and skin, 10 deer traps and one billhook.
The poacher was nabbed while he and his two associates were distributing venison, after killing a female deer near Pati Mouth inside Bhitarkanika protected reserve forest in Kanika range of Bhitarkanika National Park, said Subrat Kumar Patra, the ACF-cum-Range–in-charge of Kanika forest range.
The taxidermist was identified as Niranjan Mandal, 37, a resident of Righagada village under Rajnagar police limits.
Patra said after getting a tip-off that some poachers had trespassed into Bhitarkanika protected reserve forest and killed a female spotted deer and were distributing the venison, forest personnel conducted raids.
The forest personnel came across Niranjan Mandal and two of his associates distributing venison. They nabbed Niranjan Mandal, but his two associates managed to flee.
The poacher was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and was produced Thursday in JMFC court of Rajnagar. He was remanded to custody after his bail plea was rejected, said ACF Patra.
Niranjan Mandal is a habitual offender. He had been arrested in 2017 for involvement in wildlife crimes.
The seized raw venison was later sent for autopsy to Rajnagar veterinary office. The forest personnel later buried it inside Dangamal forest. A hunt is on to nab the two other poachers, official sources said.
PNN