Baripada/Balasore: In a major crackdown on wildlife crime, Forest personnel have arrested six poachers, including a government school teacher, for their alleged involvement in illegal wildlife trafficking in Kuldiha in Odisha's Balasore district. As many as 13 pangolin scales, eight mobile phones, and three motorcycles were seized from the accused. The arrested persons have been produced in court.

According to the Forest Department, the arrests were made while investigations were ongoing into an earlier poaching case. On January 22, Kuldiha Range Officer Subrat Behera, had busted a poaching gang during a raid in the area. Continued surveillance and repeated raids by forest personnel led to the latest arrests.

11 persons held in two weeks

Officials said that with the arrest of these six accused, a total of 11 people have been arrested and forwarded to court within the last two weeks in connection with the same wildlife trafficking racket.

Forest authorities confirmed that one of the accused apprehended today is a government assistant teacher, highlighting the alarming involvement of individuals from varied professions in wildlife crimes.

Further investigation into the network is underway, and forest officials have reiterated that intensive anti-poaching operations will continue in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary to curb illegal hunting and trafficking of wildlife.

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