BALASORE :With the seizure of a Royal Bengal Tiger hide by the forest personnel in Thakurmunda area of Mayurbhanj district on Wednesday, poaching in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) has come to the fore once again.
Along with the tiger hide, the officials seized a leopard skin and arrested five persons in this connection. The arrested are Arjun Beshra of Hatabadada, Gobinda Kisku and his brother Dasarath Kisku of Chirupada, Surendra Kisku of Badabaliposhi and Jagar Murmu of Sarupani.
While the tiger hide is about 7.5 ft long and 2.9 ft wide, the leopard skin is 7.5 ft long and 2.2 ft wide.
The tiger is suspected to have been killed a week back though the exact time of poaching along with the age and gender are yet to be ascertained.
Karanjia DFO Ashish Kumar Behera said acting on a tip off, a trap was laid and the poachers were nabbed. “We got information that a group was trying to dispose of tiger skins. In the garb of buyers, a team of forest officials contacted the group and a deal was finalised for Rs 10 lakh,” he said. Investigation is on to ascertain the involvement of other persons in poaching in STR, added DFO.
The accused will be produced in the court on Thursday. The rangers, foresters and trained forest guards of Karanjia, Rairangpur and Bisoi took part in the raid.
It may be noted that on March 16, forest officials had arrested two poachers near Rangamatia village and seized hide of a two-year-old bear.
