Two held for hunting in Orissa Lake

Bhubaneswar, Dec 22 : Two poachers were arrested for hunting migratory birds in Orissa's Chilika Lake and 11 dead birds were seized from their possession, a wildlife official said Tuesday.

"We have arrested two people in a couple of separate incidents last night. They were hunting in the Chilika Lake," said Forest Range Officer (Wildlife) Prashant Kumar Mohanty.

A man identified as Mohsin Khan was arrested from Baniabanka on Chilika coast while his associate fled from the spot.

In another incident, poachers were caught red-handed by wildlife officials Monday night. A man identified as Ahmed Khan has been arrested in this connection.

The officials seized 11 dead birds and hunting snares from the poachers.

Chilika lake, spread across Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts and about 100 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, attracts nearly a million migratory birds from Siberia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Himalayas every year in October. The birds return in March.