Retired Forester Arrested for Possessing Protected Wildlife Items in Deogarh

Deogarh, Odisha — In a startling breach of wildlife protection norms, a retired forester from Aksharshila village under Barkote police limits has been arrested following the seizure of over 100 peacock feathers and a deer skin from his residence.

Acting on a tip-off, a Forest Department team raided the home of Kishore Chandra Pradhan and recovered the prohibited items. Officials confirmed that the possession of these protected animal parts violates multiple provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.

“The presence of such items in the home of a former forest official is deeply concerning,” said Arun Kumar Behera, Additional Forest Conservator of Deogarh. “We are following all legal procedures and will ensure strict action is taken.”

The accused was taken into custody and will be produced in court after a mandatory medical examination. The incident has sparked outrage among conservationists and raised questions about internal accountability within forest services.