Baripada: As many as three wildlife criminals were arrested with firearms and wildlife products from the premises of Similipal in Mayurbhanj district, informed Deputy Director of Similipal South Samrat Gouda today.
The arrested accused persons have been identified as Srimat Majhi alias Kanda (45), Karu Hansdah alias Jatri (55) and Budhan Majhi alias Thatan (30).
According to the Deputy Director of Similipal South, the forest officials arrested the trio after identifying them from a camera trap image.
They also seized 2 unloaded guns, 1 loaded gun, 2 half made guns (butt), 2 bills of hornbill (beak), 70 hornbill feathers, 2 Sambar deer antler, 2 hornbill claw, 8 of arrows, 2 bows and a bag containing explosives and iron pellets used for bullet preparation from their exclusive possession.
All of them were booked under Pithabata South Wildlife Range under sections of 2,9,27,29,30,31,32,39,48A,52 punishable under section 51 of the same act against the accused persons who were forwarded to court for remand into judicial custody.