Boinda: A day after two poachers were arrested for their involvement in the electrocution of a tusker at Hemamura village under Handapa forest range in Angul district, forest officials arrested another poacher in this connection Friday.
He was identified as Sanatan Pradhan of Hemamura. A case was registered and Pradhan was produced in a court. He was remanded in judicial custody after the court rejected his bail plea.
At least six poachers were involved in the tusker’s electrocution. Arabinda Biswal and Runa Biswal of the same village were arrested Thursday, while three more poachers are on the run.
A manhunt has been launched to arrest the absconders, said Handapa forest ranger Chaitanya Behera.
“Pradhan is a habitual offender. He was earlier jailed for killing a tusker in a similar manner. He once again provoked other poachers to lay 11kv wire in the paddy field that led to the electrocution of the tusker,” Behera, said, adding stringent action would be taken against Pradhan this time.
The tusker was electrocuted after coming in contact with livewires drawn at a farm to poach wild boars Tuesday night. The tusker, that strayed into the farmland to eat ripen crops, got ensnared in the wires and was electrocuted.
PNN
