Three Arrested For Illegal Fishing In Bhitarkanika National Park

Kendrapada: The Kanika forest Range personnel arrested three persons during the wee hours on Friday for allegedly trespassing into the Bhitarkanika National Park and catching fish illegally at the  Sapua creek  under  Kalibhanjadiha protected forest with the help of a couple of country boats.

The forest personnel also seized two country boats and two fishing nets from their possessions, informed Akshaya Kumar  Nayak, the Ranger of Kanika Forest Range.

Acting on a tip-off from a reliable source that some persons have trespassed into the Sapua creek for catching fish illegally, a forest team led by Nayak conducted raids and managed to nab three persons while they were catching fish illegally at Sapua creek.

As a result, the forest personnel intercepted their boats and arrested three persons for catching fish at the Bhitarkanika National Park, said Nayak.

The arrested persons have been identified as Jairam Majhi, Sukanta Majhi, and Abhi Majhi.

The arrested persons were on Friday produced before the JMFC court of Rajnagar under the offenses of Wildlife Protection Act where they were remanded into jail custody after their bail applications were rejected by the court.

Similarly, the Kanika forest personnel on Friday arrested a person for his alleged involvement in transporting crabs after catching illegally from the Bhitarkanika National Park.

The forest personnel also seized 25 kg of crab and also a motorbike from his possession near Ragadapatia forest block. The arrested person has been identified as Bijay Majhi, of Karnjamala under Bansada police limit of Bhadrak district.

The arrested person was later produced before the JMFC court of Rajnagar, stated Akshaya Kumar Nayak, the Ranger.