In a major wildlife protection operation, forest officials arrested five poachers and seized multiple wildlife trophies during a joint raid by the Bonai and Kuliposh range teams on Friday.
The operation was spearheaded by Bonai Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Lalit Kumar Patra, and targeted long-suspected poaching activities in the Lahunipada police limits. The arrested individuals have been identified as Brundaban Naik (23), Dasu Naik (26), Jethu Naik (48), Sukanta Naik (23), and Dhaneswar Munda (43).
During the raid, forest officials confiscated seven country-made firearms, along with trophies from Indian crested porcupine and barking deer. Other seized items included deer meat and skin, monitor lizard skin, wild boar hair, gunpowder, and various traditional hunting tools.
“These individuals were under surveillance for several months,” DFO Lalit Patra stated. “This successful operation highlights our department’s unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation.”
Authorities revealed that the accused were not only involved in poaching but also in the manufacture of illegal firearms for hunting. Investigations are ongoing to trace possible links to wider wildlife trafficking networks.
“We will continue to stay vigilant and intensify our efforts to protect our forests and wildlife,” Patra emphasized.
