Poacher held with 29 dead birds near Chilika lagoon

Birds Of 7 species including 5 migratory ones seized from Pradhan

- SUDARSAN MAHARANA @Bhubaneswar

IN a major crackdown, wildlife officials arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly poaching over two dozen migratory and resident birds near Chilika lake.

Accused Alok Pradhan, a native of Ujjala Gopinathpur within Tangi wildlife range, was caught red-handed on Sunday evening with carcasses of 29 birds of seven different species including five migratory ones.

Preliminary investigation by Chilika Wildlife Division revealed the poacher was using binoculars to keep an eye on the movement of the patrol staff near the lagoon to avoid detection.