Wanted poacher held in Chandaka sanctuary

India: The wildlife personnel of Chandaka wildlife sanctuary on Tuesday night nabbed a wanted poacher from Sundarpur area of the sanctuary with a country-made gun.
Bishnu Pradhan, who has no palm in right hand and left armless, was caught by the department officials based on an intelligence report. He was wanted in several poaching cases and he used to give slip to the personnel every time they tried to nab him red-handed.

Two of his aides however managed to escape. "They were planning to lay trap to kill prey animals. The hardcore poacher is into a full-fledged trade of selling meat of prey animals. He knew the geography and topography of the sanctuary and the places of prey concentration," said divisional forest officer (Chandaka) Kedar Kumar Swain.

 Bishnu lost his palm and arm while making explosives a decade ago. He used to make explosive for its use in killing the prey animals also. "Despite being handicapped, he is a sharp shooter," said a forest officer adding Bishnu's arrest is a prized catch for them.

Officials said Bishnu's arrest will work as a deterrent as other small-time poachers will desist from entering forest and killing the animals. "Bishnu used to hunt barking and mouse deer, wild big and boar. We are trying to break the network of his meat trade so that others involved in the racket can be brought to task," said the officer.

 In April last year, two poachers with two guns were arrested from the sanctuary while attempting to hunt an animal.

(Source: The Times of India)