Bhubaneswar, Oct. 25 -- Forest officials seized around 15 quintals of mangrove roots that bore striking resemblance to sandalwood in Bhitarkanika National Park on Friday and arrested nine persons, including five women, for trespassing into protected forest and felling trees.
Ten quintals of Salacia prinoides roots and stems locally called Batara, an important mangrove species packed in 20 sacks, and five quintals of ceriops decandra roots locally called as Garani packed in 10 sacks, were seized from Kalibhanjadia forest block of the national park.
The implements and tools used for cutting down the standing mangrove trees were seized from their possession.
The arrested persons, all from villages within the park area, were later remanded t...