Forester shot dead by poachers in Odisha's Similipal sanctuary

A forester was shot dead allegedly by poachers in Similipal sanctuary in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, a forest official said on Saturday.

The incident occurred when a team of forest department were carrying out patrolling inside Similipal sanctuary, an exchange of fire broke out between the forest department team and six armed poachers at Badachachran beat house on Friday night, the official said.

Forester Mati Hansda (45) was hit by a bullet allegedly fired by the poachers. He was rushed to hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.

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Hansda was posted at the Barahakumuda range in Similipal.

RCCF Similipal Division Prakash Chand Gogineni told PTI one forester named Mati (Hansda) was with a patrolling team and he came face to face with poachers. The poachers fired on him. He was rushed to Karanjia Hospital at 3.15-3.30 am where he died.

"We have identified the people who were involved in the attack. We have informed the police and they are doing their job," said Gogineni

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who hails from Odisha came down heavily on the state government and alleged that with every passing day law and order situation is "deteriorating" in the state.

"Criminals have the audacity, that they can commit a crime and escape the clutches of law in the state, there is complete failure of state machinery, within a span of one month, two forest officials have been shot dead," Pradhan told PTI.

IG Police (Eastern Range) Himanshu Kumar Lal told PTI "We have already detained three suspects, combing operation in the area is continuing, and we will arrest the main accused soon."

Earlier on May 22, a forest guard was shot dead by a group of poachers at Similipal Tiger Reserve.