Balasore, Nov. 28: The forest personnel of neighbouring Mayurbhanj district have arrested five poachers and seized wild boar meat last night following raids in Satkosia range under Karanjia forest division.

“We seized the meat while raiding Dwarasani village. We have arrested five persons in connection with the incident. One person, however, managed to escape,” said Satkosia range officer Jayhari Nayak.

“We had reports that these people had been poaching boars and other animals in the reserve forest area. The boar is a Schedule III category species under the Wildlife Protection Act,” he said.

The arrested persons are Srabana Nayak, 22, Rabi Dehuri, 19, Susanta Das, 22, Bijay Ban Singh, 20, and Babun Badra 23. All of them belong to Gudabhanga and Satkosia villages.

Patrolling in the Karanjia forest division has been intensified following the death of three elephants because of consumption of poisonous food last month.

In the last one and half months, 22 persons have been arrested in connection with various wildlife offences, including poaching, from this forest area.

On Saturday, a father and son duo was arrested from Gudgudia range of Karanjia forest division.

“Our division falls in the northern part of the buffer region of Similipal Tiger Reserve. We have six ranges under the division. While patrolling has been intensified following the death of the elephants, the intelligence network within the forest divisions has also been activated,” said S.M.T. Rehman, divisional forest officer of Karanjia.

“We have come to know that these poachers were exporting meat and other body parts of boar for medicinal use for Rs 150 per 100gm. During our interrogation, we have also come to know that the receiver of these items is working under a code name in Bhubaneswar,” said the forest officer.