A seven-member team of the State Crime Branch (CB) police led by SP Rabindranath Mohanty on Friday began investigation into the recent incidents of poaching of three tuskers in Sambalpur and Bamra forest range.The CB has registered a case under Sections 429, 379, 120(b) IPC, Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act and Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act-1972. The CB sleuths are investigating into the possible involvement of inter-State poaching gangs in these incidents. It may be mentioned that a gang of poachers had recently killed three tuskers in the Sambalpur and Bamra forest ranges and took away the tusks.
Expressing grave concern over the incident, the State Forests and Environment Department had asked the CB to probe into the incident.