Locals pledge to stop wildlife offence in Odisha village infamous for poaching

Bhubaneswar, Sep 9 (UNI) Residents of villages lying on the close periphery of Odisha’s Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary tipped off the forest personnel and facilitated the arrest of fugitive wildlife offenders and saved the wild animals from being possibly killed by the poachers.

The local Sarpanch held a public meeting and pledged to de-weaponize the entire village, infamous for poaching activities, concluded the forest officials.

The locals identified the poachers who had fled during a crackdown by an anti-poaching squad. Later they forced them to surrender, said forest officials. Seven poachers were nabbed and arms were recovered from their possession.

The interception of the accused persons and seizure of arms could be achieved due to the support from the locals and panchayat representatives in Podadiha gram panchayat, said officials.

While two of them were captured on the basis of footage from an AI-powered camera, five others surrendered following the intervention of local Sarpanch and villagers.

While intruding into Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary, a gang of armed poachers were captured on the AI camera.

Two of them were arrested while five managed to escape.

The forest personnel seized two loaded guns, a bow and 7 arrows from their possession. Later they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Baripada, which later remanded to judicial custody.

The local Sarpanch held a public meeting and pledged to deweaponize the entire village, infamous for poaching activities, concluded the forest officials.