The Odisha Forest Department, using AI-based surveillance cameras, successfully arrested 13 poachers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
The poachers, caught attempting to hunt wild animals, were nabbed after receiving an alert from the AI-integrated cameras, which have been in use since August 2024 for enhanced surveillance.
The operation led to the seizure of a crude country-made gun, 13 bows, 33 arrows, and other weapons.
The accused, hailing from various villages around STR, have been remanded to judicial custody.
STR authorities plan to expand the network of AI cameras to 300, further strengthening the security and monitoring of both the core and buffer zones.
This initiative is part of the forest department’s efforts to curb illegal activities and protect the biodiversity of Similipal.
