Odishatv Bureau
Baripada: Two persons, including a forest department official, were today kidnapped by irate villagers in Simlipal National Park demanding release of four persons earlier detained on charges of poaching, official sources said. The villagers are residents of Gopinathpur situated in the core area of the national park.

"The villagers took forester Khirod Singh and a daily labourer hostage demanding release of four persons earlier detained on charge of their alleged involvement in the killing of elephants inside the core area," said Anup Nayak, the Regional Chief Conservator of Forest in charge of the Tiger Project in the National Park.

Additional police force was rushed to Gopinathpur village to ensure release of the kidnapped. The two was taken to hostage by about 50 persons while they were on duty, Nayak said.

scrollToTop