Armed with bows and arrows, tribal villagers forcibly took away two arrested poachers along with guns from a team of forest personnel in the Similipal sanctuary area on Sunday evening. Official sources said the incident occurred at Bahalada under the Dukura forest range, about 30 km from here, in the sanctuary when a large number of tribals confronted the forest patrol party.
The forest personnel had arrested the two poachers and seized two guns from them, but soon later tribals including women gheroed the forest staff and took away poachers along with the guns, Field Director, Similipal Tiger Reserve Anup Kumar Nayak said.
A protection assistant was injured in an arrow attack by tribals and admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital here, Nayak said, adding that Baripada DFO Bijay Kumar Panda rushed to the spot with his force.