The carcass of the male boar was recovered from the village and it bore multiple injury marks yesterday. Its abdomen was ripped apart following lethal attack by local residents. The animal had strayed into the villages from the forest areas lying in the vicinity of the village. The body of the slain boar has been sent for post mortem to ascertain the exact cause of the animal's death, officials said.
"From preliminary investigation, it has become apparent that the animal was killed in retaliatory attack by locals. The animals might have sneaked into the village to eat crops and standing vegetable plants as the village is located in close vicinity of forest areas and habitation corridors of these animals" said Forest Range Officer, Mahakalpada forest range under Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, Bijoy Kumar Parida.
"As the animal that was killed comes under protected species, we have registered case under sections- 9, 27, 29 and 35 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The offenders who killed the animal would be arrested shortly. People have no right to take law unto their hands even though animal-induced damage caused to them", he said.
The department has decided to ensure animals' safety in mangrove habitat of the wildlife sanctuary while curbing the act of straying into village areas by animals. The acts of straying by the deer into places of human habitations greatly expose them to poaching threat, they said.
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