Balasore, Mar 21: As many as six persons were arrested in the joint combing operation by Kuldiha forest officials, Similipal Tiger Protection Force and Nilagiri police in the Deunrakhola area in forests of Kuldiha in Balasore district this morning. They were found having six country-made guns. 

Earlier the forest officials had raided a gun manufacturing factory and seized four country-made guns along with other equipments for gun making. One person was also arrested in the raid at Mallibania.  

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The combing operation was launched as a reaction to the firing on three forest officials while they were patrolling in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary on March 18. 

Two officials named Khitish Pardia and Biranchi Jena were patrolling with Panchalingeswar bit area forest guard Singhray Hembram when the poachers attacked them.