Forest officials in Kalahandi arrested five men with firearms and weapons while they roamed a reserved jungle for hunting.
Arrests in Urladani Reserved Forest
On Thursday night, forest staff from Narla Range, Belgaon Section, intercepted suspects in the Urladani Reserved Forest. Officials caught five men planning to hunt wild animals. The arrested individuals include Malay Ranjan Bag, Bipin Bhoi, Bablu Nayak, Budu Majhi, and Dinabandhu Maharana.
Forest guards seized a 12-bore country-made gun, one live cartridge, sharp weapons, torchlights, trap wires, and mobile phones. During patrol, guards Sarita Pujari and Kantha Behera stopped two men on a bike. They found a loaded gun and detained Malay Ranjan Bag. Another suspect fled with the bike. Based on the interrogation, officials arrested the remaining accused and recovered more weapons.
Court Action
The accused were produced before the JMFC court in M. Rampur. The judge rejected bail and sent them to jail custody. Officials confirmed that Dinabandhu Maharana, though not present in the jungle, was linked to the case through weapon possession. However, questions remain about why another suspect, Mangaladan Sahu, was not investigated despite connections to the seized gun.
