Keonjhar: The forest department arrested five poachers on Saturday in connection with the death of a tusker in an electric trap laid to hunt wild boars near Gadimera Juang Sahi in Salikena village under Telkoi range of Keonjhar district.
On the basis of information obtained from four suspects in detention, the forest department today arrested another accused. The forest department said all the five arrested persons were the masterminds of laying electric wires for hunting.
The arrested poachers are Chitrasen Munda (33), Jitu Munda (43), Mithu Pradhan (23), Putura Pradhan (67) of Jansanpur village and Satyas Munda (33) of Rugudi village in Telkoi block. The forest department has seized electric wires, wooden stakes, bottles, etc. used to lay traps for wild animals.
Taking the opportunity of wild boar menace in the locality, the accused persons had laid electric wires in the paddy fields to hunt. However, a 40-year-old tusker, who had strayed into the paddy field, fell into the trap and was electrocuted to death yesterday.
DFO Dhanraj HD informed that the five accused people had been arrested as they had laid the electric trap to hunt wild boars. But an elephant fell into the trap and was electrocuted to death.