Nilagiri: Two suspected poachers have been arrested after being caught on trap cameras inside Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore district, forest officials said Wednesday. According to officials, the accused men were identified as Dam Samad, 23, and Sudarshan Biswal, 58, of Pindabasa village under Oupada police limits in Balasore district. A loaded country-made gun, ammunition, bow and arrows, axe, knife, snare, deer antlers and other weapons were seized from their possession. Both the accused were booked under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and produced in a court.
A case-08K/2025-26 has been registered, and further investigation is underway, forest officials said. The cameras recorded them entering the sanctuary with the intention of poaching wild animals in the wee hours of August 9. The images were captured by two tracking cameras installed at Kankadabila area in the Chemchata forest beat under Jharanaghati forest section. Following routine checks, forest personnel of Kuldiha and Soro forest ranges launched a search operation and apprehended the suspects from their homes around 6:15am August 26.