Baripada, August 29: Five persons were arrested after they were found sneaking into the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) with weapons in AI-integrated cameras installed in the sanctuary.
One of the AI-integrated cameras installed in the STR captured photographs of some poachers sneaking into the forests with guns. Based on the photos, the Similipal Wildlife Intelligence Network (SWIN) and forest officials identified the poachers and arrested with seizure of four guns from their possession, said Samrat Gowda Deputy director of STR South Wildlife Division.
The arrested have been identified as Karunakar Mallick (28), Kartika Bhakta (30), Bhola Bhakta (29), Gunu Bhakta (30) and Rabi Bhakta (50), all residents of Besarpani village within Baripada Sadar police limits.
A team of forest staff led by an assistant conservator of forests raided the houses of the poachers and nabbed them with seizure of four guns including a loaded one, 100 gram gunpowder, 200 pellets, two headlights, as many hand saws and a clutch wire snare.
All the accused were produced in the sub-divisional judicial magistrate Court at Baripada and remained in judicial custody.
