In a major fire on Wednesday evening, around four acres of plantations in the Balukhand wildlife sanctuary along the Puri-Konark Marine drive was reduced to ashes.
Though the damages to wildlife were yet to be ascertained, sanctuary DFO Ramaswamy P said the involvement of some miscreants was suspected and investigations were on to unravel it.
The fire started in Zone 13 of the sanctuary and gradually spread to Zone 14, which has dense casuarinas and mangrove forests covering a vast patch near the Beladala village under Puri Sadar block.
Getting information, Fire Service personnel rushed to the spot, but by that time plantations in four acres were burnt.
Notably, the Balukhand sanctuary close to the seashore on the outskirts of Puri town, is a famous tourist destination for its deer and other rare species of animal, birds and aquatic species.
The sanctuary spread over an area of 34 sqkm is also a nesting ground for Olive Ridley turtles. It had suffered severe damage in the 2019 Fani cyclone.