Berhampur: Forest officials arrested two suspected poachers near Jhiripani in the Belghar Reserve Forest under Baliguda forest division in Kandhamal district. Two loaded country-made guns and other hunting materials were seized from them, said Manoranjan Bagh, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Baliguda.The accused were identified as Surendra Jani (27) and Upendra Jani (40) of Desughati village under Belghar police station limits.Bagh said forest personnel spotted the duo during a night patrol on Sunday. During interrogation, they initially failed to explain why they were inside the reserve forest with loaded firearms at midnight, but later admitted they had intended to hunt wild animals. Forest officials are checking whether the two are linked to any other wildlife crime.
