Two Held for Alleged Deer Poaching in Kendrapara Forest Area

Kendrapara: Two persons were arrested by forest officials on Saturday for allegedly possessing around nine kg of venison in the Gahirmatha forest range of Odisha’s Kendrapara district.

The arrests were made during a raid conducted in the Sasanpeta forest area after forest officials received information about suspected poaching activities.

Officials said nylon nets, believed to have been used for trapping wild animals, were also recovered from the possession of the accused during the operation.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo had allegedly laid traps in the forest to hunt deer or wild boar. Forest officials suspect that a spotted deer was killed by the accused.

“The accused have been booked under various provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” a forest official said.

The seized venison has been sent for further examination, while the accused are being interrogated as part of the ongoing investigation into the poaching case, officials added.