The Kanika Range personnel on Monday arrested three taxidermists for their involvement in killing a spotted deer at Baisigherry under Ragadapatia forest block of Kanika forest range within Bhitarkanika National Park on Sunday.
The forest personnel also seized seven kg of raw venison , one hide, two antlers, a steel trap and a chopper from the arrested poachers, informed Ranger Akhaya Kumar Nayak.
The poachers were identified as Bhagyadhar Mandal(37), Nalu mandal(35) and Gobinda Giri (40). The trio was native of Rajendranarayanpur under Rajnagar block. The arrested Bhagyadhar Mandal was the kingpin.
Acting on a tipoff from reliable sources that Bhaghadhar with the help of his two associates on Sunday afternoon slyly entered into the Ragadapatia forest block and killed a spotted deer near Baisighery, the forest personnel conducted a raid at the house of Bhagyadhar but failed to trace him as he managed to flee. later, the forest personnel came to know that Bhagyadhar had gone to Dhamara fair. Soon, a forest personnel team rushed to Dhamara and managed to arrest him.
later, his associates were arrested and seizures made.
Meanwhile, the Kanika forest personnel started an inquiry at a private hotel and also issued so cause notice to the hotel owner, which purchased the deer meat from the taxidermists.
All the arrested poachers on Monday were produced before the JMFC Court of Rajnagar where they were remanded into jail custody after their bail pleas were rejected. Meanwhile, it is alleged that a political leader has been putting pressure on the forest personnel to suppress the case.