Bhubaneswar, April 11: In a significant cross-border operation, forest teams from Chhattisgarh and Odisha have arrested two men from Nuapada district, Odisha, for allegedly entering the Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh to hunt wildlife.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jairam Paharia and Barnasingh Paharia, both residents of Gantiyapada Katfar village in Nuapada's Boden police station limits. The arrests followed a tip-off on April 1, prompting a raid led by Dinesh Chaudhary, the Kulhadighat buffer range officer.
During the search of Jairam Paharia’s residence, forest officials recovered two bows, five arrows, and a traditional bell (ghurru) used for hunting. Both Jairam and Barnasingh confessed to entering the tiger reserve at night armed with weapons to hunt wildlife. The duo also provided details about other villagers linked to previous poaching activities, prompting an ongoing investigation to apprehend more suspects.
The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including Sections 2, 9, 27, 29, 31, 51, and 52. They were presented before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Gariaband on April 7, 2026, and remanded to 14-day judicial custody at Gariaband district jail.
