Baripada, Nov 28: After enduring a nearly 16-hour ordeal due to a local strike, 18 tourists, comprising individuals from both Odisha and other states, were successfully rescued from the Barehipani Nature Camp in Similipal sanctuary located in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district today. The Jashipur police orchestrated the rescue operation by employing an alternative route.

The tourist group found themselves stranded as members of Similipal Bikash Parishad, in collaboration with locals, initiated an indefinite strike on Sunday, pressing for a five-point charter of demands. Among their stipulations were the installation of mobile towers within the wildlife sanctuary, road connectivity to all villages in the region under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), improved roads from Kalikaprasad Gates to Gadasimilipal, construction of a concrete bridge across the main road, and the creation of employment opportunities for youth in peripheral areas.

This protest resulted in the blockage of all major exit points, confining the tourists within the sanctuary. Promptly responding to the situation, the police reached the site and successfully carried out the rescue operation.

It's worth noting that the Forest department had issued an advisory to tourists on Saturday, urging them to refrain from proceeding to Similipal Nature camps at Barehipani, Kumari, and Gurguria until further information was provided.

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