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21 poachers nabbed, 165 guns seized in Similipal after two forest guards killed
In the 2006 tiger census, 101 tigers were tracked in Similipal but the number had sharply reduced to 16 in the 2022 census.
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha police have has arrested 21 poachers and seized 165 country-made guns from their possession in a major crackdown following the killing of two forest personnel in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, which lost 85 tigers in the last 17 years due to poaching, reducing prey base and natural causes.
Arrests were made during search operations at multiple locations under 14 police jurisdictions of Mayurbhanj following the killing of two forest frontline personnel in the tiger reserve, Mayurbhanj superintendent of police (SP), Buttula Gangadhar, said.
On the night of June 16, Mati Hansdah, forester in the Upper Barahakumuda range that is part of the core area of the tiger reserve was shot dead by a group of poachers when he intercepted them. And, on May 22 evening, forest guard Bimal Kumar Jena was shot by a group of 26 poachers inside the core area of the tiger reserve while the latter tried to intercept them. Since then, local police and forest officials have gone on a drive against poachers arresting dozens of them and seizing large caches of country-made guns from them.
Also Read: Forest officer shot dead inside Similipal tiger reserve by poachers
“During these special operation a 165 illegal arms including 158 single barrel muzzle loaders, three pistols, two small hand guns, two long-barrel air guns, a pair of deer horns, pangolin scales, 72 pieces of ball bearings used as pellet, 500 grams’ gun powder, four handmade bombs and an arms manufacturing was seized. We have lodged 48 cognizable cases and arrested 21 people. The government is determined to make Simlipal one of the best ecosystems and one of the safest places for tigers in the world,” said the SP.
Gangadhar added that following the killing of the forest staff, over 100 personnel of the Odisha Special Armed Police Force were deployed to strengthen patrolling in the tiger reserve.
In the 2006 tiger census, 101 tigers were tracked in Similipal but the number had sharply reduced to 16 in the 2022 census.
A research paper published by former forest officials of the state, including former chief wildlife warden Harishankar Upadhyay, in 2019 said that the low population of prey bases such as sambar, wild pig, barking deer, chital and mouse deer was a major factor in depleting tiger population of the reserve.
Former honourary wildlife warden of the tiger reserve, Vanoomitra Acharya, alleged that a group of poachers from Manipur have joined hands with local poachers to also kill elephants for their tusks inside the reserve. The Manipuri poachers use poison-tipped arrows, which when hits the leads to their death.
After the death of the two frontline forest staff, the state government last month approved a proposal to provide immunity to forest officials under section 197 of the CrPC for the use of firearms in self-defence against poachers.
A Special Joint Task Force has also been formed to strengthen security inside the reserve.
