Potash bombs used to hunt wild boars in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve; five arrested
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh forest department has intensified its crackdown on an illegal wildlife hunting network operating in the Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary under Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, arresting five accused for allegedly using potash bombs to hunt wild boars and supplying explosive materials. An FIR has also been registered under the Explosives Act against the alleged supplier and kingpin of the network.
The illegal hunting was reported in reserved forest compartments 254 and 255 at Chikhlapani, in the Risgaon range of Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.
According to the forest department, five accused have been arrested and produced before the court in connection with forest offence case No. 70/22, dated September 29, 2026. They include four residents of Khilauli village in Nabarangpur district of Odisha — Narsing Nishad, Mansingh Rawat, Devanand alias Laila and Sheshmal Gond — and the alleged main accused and supplier, Bharat Rajaram Rathore, a resident of Korhobeda village in Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh.
Devanand alias Laila, Sheshmal and Bharat Rathore, who were allegedly absconding, were taken into custody on October 29 after forest department teams conducted searches at their residences. During the search of Rathore’s house, officials recovered various types of suspected explosive materials.
Rathore was arrested under several provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including Sections 2(1), 20, 9, 27, 29, 31, 32, 39, 49(B), 50 and 51. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Nagri in Dhamtari district on October 29 and 30 and subsequently sent to Dhamtari district jail under judicial remand.
The court rejected the bail applications filed by all five arrested accused on November 5. The anticipatory bail application filed by another absconding accused, Bhagat Gond of Khilauli village in Nabarangpur district, Odisha, was also rejected by the Dhamtari district and sessions court on November 3.
With the court’s permission, a special forest department team interrogated the accused lodged in Dhamtari district jail on November 5. The team included deputy director of Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Varun Jain, Sitanadi assistant director Bal Govind Sahu, Udanti assistant director and nodal officer of the anti-poaching squad Gopal Singh Kashyap, and Risgaon forest range officer Chandrabali Dhruv, along with other officials.
During the interrogation, investigators reportedly obtained several important leads. Information emerged about Rathore’s alleged role in preparing potash bombs and supplying them to other accused, besides his involvement in the wildlife hunting network.
Based on the information gathered, the forest department is investigating the identities and involvement of other individuals connected with the illegal hunting network.
Meanwhile, following the recovery of suspected explosive materials used in manufacturing potash bombs from Rathore’s residence in Korhobeda under Vishrampuri police station limits in Kondagaon district, Vishrampuri police registered FIR No. 0092 on November 6 under Section 9(B)(1)(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884, and initiated an investigation.
The forest department said it was conducting a detailed investigation into other persons involved in illegal wildlife hunting, sources of explosive materials and the network supplying potash bombs. It added that strict legal action would continue against those involved in wildlife poaching and other forest offences.
