Locals pledge to end wildlife offences in Odisha village infamous for poaching

Residents of villages situated in the close periphery of Odisha’s Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary tipped off forest personnel and facilitated the arrest of fugitive wildlife offenders, thereby saving the lives of wild animals from being possibly killed by poachers.

The locals identified the poachers who had fled during a crackdown by an anti-poaching squad and later forced them to surrender, forest officials said.

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Seven poachers were nabbed, and arms were recovered from their possession. The interception of the accused persons and seizure of arms could be achieved due to the support from the locals and panchayat representatives in Podadiha gram panchayat, the officials said.

While two of them were captured on the basis of footage from an AI-powered camera, five others surrendered following the intervention of the local sarpanch and villagers.

While intruding into the Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary, a gang of armed poachers was captured on the AI camera. Two of them were arrested, while five managed to escape.

The forest personnel seized two loaded guns, a bow, and 7 arrows from their possession. Later, they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Baripada, which remanded them in judicial custody.

The local sarpanch held a public meeting and pledged to de-weaponise the entire village, infamous for poaching activities, the officials concluded.