Baripada, Jun 1 (PTI) The bullet-riddled body of a 26-year-old tribal man was found in the Similpal National Park in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district on Thursday morning, a day after forest personnel undertook an operation against poachers.

Jagannath Hembram of Burudiha village in Bangriposhi police station area was found dead in Talabandh range of the park, police said.

Also Read | Goa: Hundreds of Branded Bras Found Scattered on Carona-Calvim Bridge of Aldona Village.

Talabandh's Range Officer Shailendra Kumar Das said forest personnel undertook an operation in the core area on Wednesday night, during which they encountered a group of hunters armed with bows and arrows.

In order to disperse them, the forest personnel fired in the air, following which the hunters fled the spot, he said.

Also Read | Modi Government Never Offered Freebies for Votes, Implemented Welfare Schemes Without Any Discrimination, Says Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Locals, however, alleged that they were in the forest in search of a missing buffalo when they came across the forest personnel.

Jagannath's brother Kaluram lodged a police complaint, alleging that he was killed in a "fake encounter" by the forest staff, who mistook him for a poacher.

Police are probing the matter and the body will be sent to PRM Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination, said Kamalakanta Das, the officer-in-charge of Bangriposhi police station.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)