Berhampur: Forest officials on Sunday arrested three people on the charge of beating a spotted deer to death at Khaparaganda village, which falls under the Central range of Ghumusar North forest division in Ganjam district on Saturday. Preliminary probe revealed accused Udaya Naik (51), Ramesh Swain (60) and Rajesh Nayak (26), all residents of Khapraganda, killed the deer to extract its meat and sell, said Himansu Sekhar Mohanty, divisional forest officer of Ghumusar North division.An adult spotted deer was entering the village from a nearby forest area on Saturday, when the accused allegedly beat it to death. After killing it, they allegedly took its carcass to a nearby area for processing, when the forest staff on duty rushed to spot.“Seeing the vehicle of the forest officials, the accused fled from the spot, leaving the carcass of the deer behind. The forest officials conducted a thorough search in the nearby areas, during which they were arrested,” said Bibek Das, assistant conservator of forests, Gnmusar North. A search was on to arrest other suspected poachers involved in the killing, he added.Ranger Prithivraj Pradhan said patrolling was intensified in the area following the incident and to keep strict vigil on the animal poachers.Wildlife activists said wild animals, especially deer and black bucks come to the human habitat in search of water, as the water bodies in the forest areas have dried up, and often fall victim to the poachers and stray dogs. “Forest officials need to create water bodies for the wild animals or fill up the dried ones,” said Amulya Upadhaya, president of Ganjam district blackbuck protection committee.
