‘Poacher’ dies, family accuses forest staff of murder

BARIPADA: Accusing forest officials of beating a man to death on suspicion of being a poacher, family members of the deceased staged demonstration with his body in front of Podadiha range office in Kaptipada demanding immediate arrest of the accused on Friday. 

However, they withdrew the protest later in the day. The deceased was identified as Gajendra Naik (40) of Nachhipur village.Gajendra’s wife Binodini said her husband had gone to the nearby forest to collect leaves three days back but did not return. A day after he went missing, forest officials informed family members that Gajendra was admitted to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in a critical condition. 

Binodini later came to know her husband was shifted to SCB MCH at Cuttack the next day. Gajendra reportedly succumbed to injuries on Thursday. The body was brought to Kaptipada after autopsy and handed over to family members. However, the bereaved family along with villagers of Nachhipur brought Gajendra’s body to Podadiha forest range office on Thursday midnight, placed it at the main entrance and staged protest demanding arrest of those responsible for his death and adequate compensation.  

Kaptipada IIC Sanjay Pradhan said preliminary investigation revealed that more than eight persons of Nachhipur including Gajendra had gone to Bhanjabasa in the core area of Similipal for poaching. They hunted an elk and were returning with the carcass when they ran into forest personnel. All of them fled but Gajendra fell into a deep pit and got injured. 

The place where the incident took place is at least 30 km from Gajendra’s house. Forest personnel informed police about the incident when they were taking Gajendra to PRM MCH, the IIC said.Deputy Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve Jagyandatta Pati said forest personnel spotted Gajendra lying injured near Bhanjabasa and took him to Udala hospital.

He was shifted to PRM MCH when his condition deteriorated and later referred to SCB where he succumbed.The Forest department provided `5,000 to Gajendra’s kin for funeral rites following which the agitators withdrew their protest in the afternoon.