Nine poachers nabbed, two tusks seized

Boudh: Police today nabbed a gang of nine poachers inside the forest area in Boudh district and seized two tusks and weapons from their possession. The arrested poachers were later forwarded to the court.

Giving details to the media, Boudh SP, B Gangadhar said a team of District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel was on a routine anti-Maoist operation inside the forest area in the morning when it found some people moving suspiciously inside the forest carrying lathis and weapons. The team immediately informed the Puruna Katak police station.

Following information, police rushed to the spot. While conducting body search of these people, police found a bag in which two tusks cut into eight pieces were kept. Police also seized three country-made guns, gun powder and an axe from their possession.

He said of the nine arrested, three are from Boudh district and six from Narsinghpur area in Cuttack district.

“This is the first time that such an incident has occurred in Boudh district. We are investigating the incident and will arrest others involved in the incident,” the SP added.

He also informed that these poachers had recently killed a lame tusker and taken away its two tusks after severing its head. “We suspect that this gang has been collecting tusks by killing several tuskers in Cuttack, Athagarh, Angul and Dhenkanal forest ranges,” he informed.

Meanwhile, post mortem of the tusker was conducted in the presence of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Boudh today.