Berhampur: Odisha forest department officers Friday arrested a man for allegedly hunting a blackbuck in Ganjam district.
The accused has been identified as Rabindra Kumar Parida.
Four other persons allegedly involved in the poaching of the Schedule-I animal at Kebripalli village under Jagannath Prasad forest range fled the spot when forest staff raided the area, Himasu Sekhar Mohanty, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Ghumusar North division, said.
Efforts are on to nab the absconding persons, he added.
Around 30-kg of blackbuck meat and other organs of the animal were seized during the raid, Mohanty said.
According to preliminary inquiry, the accused had laid a live wire trap to catch a wild boar, but instead a blackbuck was electrocuted, the forest officer said.
During foot patrolling in the area, forest personnel spotted at least five persons who were engaged in dressing, cleaning and chopping of the blackbuck by hanging it from a branch of a tree.
Upon seeing the forest personnel, they fled from the spot, while Rabindra was caught red handed by them, he informed.
Ganjam district is the only habitat of the blackbuck in Odisha, and locals traditionally protect the animal, considered a harbinger of good fortune, officials said.
Amulya Upadhaya, president of the blackbuck protection committee, demanded stringent action against the poachers.
PTI
